In The Name Of Love
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: Book-loving college girl Blake Belladonna is excited when her favorite book series gets a TV adaption. She can't wait to see her favorite character on-screen. But she soon realizes that she might like the actress who plays her just a little too much.
1. Ruby Rose

**A commission for Draven Eclipse who asked for a modern Ladybug AU where Ruby is an actress and Blake is her fan! They plan to commission future chapter, so expect more some time!**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

In The Name Of Love

Chapter 1. Ruby Rose

It was a well-known fact that Blake Belladonna loved books.

She loved reading, and everyone knew that if Blake had been given the choice of a luxurious meal or car versus a stack of books, she'd choose the latter every time.

Her best friend Weiss knew this to be fact, because she'd tried to take Blake out for dinner at a high-end restaurant once, and Blake had begged her to wait until she'd finished reading the most recent volume of her favorite saga. They'd nearly been late and missed their reservation.

Blake loved all books, so long as they weren't readings about politics or ones that were forced upon her by teachers.

But almost nothing could come between Blake and her _favorite_ series, "Ninjas Of Love".

She adored that series, not only for the exceptional writing style, plot development, and unique characters, but also because she had somewhat of a crush on her favorite character.

Blake had constructed a vision of what she might look like in her mind, and she always stuck to that image based off the book's descriptions. No characters were depicted on any of the covers of the books, so Blake was allowed to envision them as she pleased.

Briar was her favorite. While she was a teenage girl only about Blake's age, she was very self-sufficient, smart, and intense. But she also had a much cuter, dorkier side and a great sense of justice. All of these traits had drawn Blake to that particular character.

Blake spent just about all of her free time reading "Ninjas Of Love", and when she'd caught up with the official series and its new releases, she'd search online for fan-written works that properly portrayed the characters and offered alternative situations to what happened in the real series.

And then one day, Blake's entire world changed.

Well, as much as any devoted book lover's world changes when the announcement of a television series adaption is made.

While it excited Blake that she'd actually be able to _see_ her favorite characters on-screen and _listen_ to them speak, it also miffed her slightly that now she'd more or less have to accept the actors' depictions of the characters.

 _What if they're nothing like I imagined them to be in the books?_ she would fret. _What if I start to envision them as the actors from now on as I read, instead of how I'd initially thought of them?_

This was her biggest dilemma for quite some time, and she communicated her troubles to other fans online, as well as to Weiss.

Weiss saw Blake through many weeks of worry about what the television adaption might do to 'ruin her favorite character'. Of course, Weiss' solution to that had been simple.

"Then don't watch it."

Blake had almost cried out in astonishment.

"Weiss, I can't do that! Of _course_ I have to watch it! It's a TV adaption of my favorite book series!"

"Right, but if you aren't going to enjoy it, then why let it take away from your enjoyment of the books?"

Weiss made a really good point, and Blake did consider it.

But in the end, the opportunity of getting to see her favorite story play out in color before her very eyes was too tempting to pass up.

Therefore, she waited in a state of anticipation, mixed with excitement and a little bit of nervousness, for the day of the first episode's premiere. Weiss invited her over to her house that evening, so Blake would be able to watch the show on a large, high-definition television screen instead of the arguably-smaller ones Blake had in her own house.

Blake was all jitters as she sat down on Weiss' couch, hardly able to stay in her seat for a minute without fidgeting. Weiss tried to ease her friend's nerves by offering her a glass of water and a few snacks.

"Calm down, Blake," she said. "You're watching a TV show, not having a baby."

Blake took a deep breath and a sip of water before leaning back against the couch cushions.

"Sorry. It's just that they've released the names of all the actors and everything but-"

"But you didn't look any of them up because you wanted to be surprised," Weiss finished. "Yes, Blake. I know. You've told me at least sixteen times now."

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's fine." Weiss sat herself down beside Blake and directed her attention towards the TV. "It's starting soon so try to focus."

"Yeah." Blake straightened herself up and sat rigid until Weiss reminded her to relax again.

When the final minute of countdown was upon them, Weiss turned up the volume a bit. Blake clung to her friend's arm, conflicted by both excitement and fear.

"Oh gosh, please don't let them run Briar..."

At last, the show began.

Blake's critical eyes decided that the setting looked good from the first few shots. "Ninjas Of Love" took place in a big city, where all of the characters lived in different areas. They all worked for a secret organization, one that paid its workers to assassinate people "in the name of love".

The idea was that people would hire a "ninja" to kill a cheating spouse, or something along those lines.

But Blake's favorite character gradually realizes that she is killing innocent people who'd just made a mistake and had a moment of flawed judgement. Briar eventually tries to get out of the assassination business, but then is marked by her old colleagues as a target for execution. After that, she must try to survive with the help of some unexpected friends.

Blake loved that character for her change of heart and her desire to do what was right above what was asked of her.

She sat in silence throughout the first half of the show, as many different characters were introduced.

About halfway through, she recognized the apartment they were showing as Briar's, because she was the only character who kept a pet snake.

Blake was literally on the edge of her seat waiting for the camera to reveal the actress' face. But of course, it cut to commercial.

"No!" Groaning, Blake slumped back into the couch and covered her face. "Uuuugh, damn it..."

Weiss chuckled and patted her shoulder.

"There, there. Just a few minutes longer."

Blake ate her frustrations away in the form of popcorn until the show returned. Once again, she clung to Weiss' arm as the camera started to reveal the shadow of a girl.

"This is it!" Blake whispered. She didn't take her eyes off the screen for a second as her favorite character was revealed.

The actress was... absolutely perfect.

She was the correct age range, the correct height, the correct body type, the correct _everything._ The way she moved and talked was on-point, and everything down to the tinniest of mannerisms was flawless.

Blake was speechless as she watched the girl's performance, portraying her favorite character. Her grip on Weiss' arm loosened enough for her friend to slip free.

Weiss waited for the next commercial break before tapping Blake's shoulder.

"So? I take it she was up to snuff?"

Blake finally remembered how to blink, and she closed her mouth that had been dangling open.

"Oh my god, she's _perfect,_ " she sighed. "Thank god... she's just like I imagined, and her voice is so cute. Gosh, that's a relief... Remind me to check the credits for the actress' name."

Of course, the news of who was playing whom in this show had been released to rest of the world in advance, but Blake had chosen to abstain from viewing such information until she'd forged her own opinion of the show.

But now she was certain she was going to love it.

By the time the hour was up and the credits started rolling, she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Both she and Weiss made sure to check the credits screen, and Blake watched for Briar's name. Once she'd found it, she looked to the corresponding actress' name.

"Ruby Rose..." she murmured. "She's incredible."

Blake soon thanked Weiss for letting her come over, and Weiss suggested they do this every week so Blake could always watch the new episodes here. She gratefully agreed and hugged her friend, then wished her goodnight and took her leave.

Blake didn't live far, and it was only minutes before she was back in her own room, where the shelves were lined with books of all kinds. But the shelf above her bed, which was positioned for easy access, was filled with "Ninjas Of Love" volumes.

Blake pulled out one of her favorites, sat down, and decided to read over the scenes with Briar in them. Ruby Rose had portrayed her almost exactly as Blake had imagined her, but she was willing to alter her own interpretation now in favor of the actress.

When she read over Briar's dialogue, she heard it in Ruby Rose's voice.

Blake read for about an hour, then decided to hop onto her computer to research the actress. She was surprised to discover Ruby Rose was actually a few years younger than Blake herself, just fifteen years old. But it was no surprise that she had been selected for this role in the series.

Blake didn't want look too much into the girl's personal life, but she did read a few informative articles that talked about how she'd landed the part of Briar.

Blake found her social media accounts, watched a few of her videos, and discovered that Ruby wasn't just putting on an act when she portrayed Briar's quirkier, more goofy side. It was truly who she was as a person.

Ruby was fun-loving, energetic, outgoing, adventurous, and positive. She'd learned how to use a katana for the sake of the TV show, and she had a unique interest in weapons. One of her goals in life was to start a collection and learn how to properly wield all of them, a tidbit that made Blake grin.

By the end of the night, Blake came away from her computer knowing just about everything there was to know about her new favorite actress, and possibly, her new favorite person in general.

Blake changed into her pajamas and turned off the lights, then curled up for bed feeling content and satisfied with all that had transpired today.

She'd discovered the incredible young actress named Ruby Rose.

She'd gotten to see Briar, her favorite character - the one she had always had a bit of a crush on - in motion, in color, and on-screen.

But as she fell asleep, she now had to wonder if it was _just_ the character she had a crush on.

* * *

 **A/N: I put up a poll for what Ruby's character should be named, and ultimately decided Briar fit best. It's sort of a joke because briars are prickly, thorny shrubs that are usually associated with roses. It fits the character in the show/book as well, because she's a small but 'prickly' ex-assassin.**

 **As I said, the customer may be commissioning future chapters, so expect more!**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


	2. The Tag

**Surprise! After so long, this fic is coming back into the game! As one of my only unfinished stories ever, I was so relieved to have someone commission me to keep going with it! Thanks to Ethan for that! He gave me ideas to finish the fic, so it'll be a decent-length multi-chapter story now!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 2. The Tag

Blake woke the next morning feeling giddy with a smile already on her face.

The first thought on her mind was, of course, of Ruby Rose. The girl was definitely an amazing actress; she matched Briar's mannerisms flawlessly, maybe even expanded upon them.

Blake let out a quiet groan.

 _She's younger than me, yet she has more talent than I could dream of… Not to mention she's so cute..._

She giggled to herself, picturing Ruby acting out some of her favorite scenes.

She lazed about in bed for a good ten minutes or so, just internally gushing to herself about Ruby as her eyes scanned the bookshelf above her bed, neatly lined with her favorite series.

At least now Blake had something to look forward to every week. Instead of waiting for a new book's release, which usually took months, new episodes would air every Saturday. And since Weiss had offered to host the weekly ritual, it meant Blake could automatically have a day with her best friend. Saturdays had always been her favorite day of the week, but now they felt somehow even more special.

When she was finally able to push herself up from bed, Blake reached for her laptop and started browsing a bit.

Naturally, since all of her blogs and pages were centered around Ninjas of Love, the first posts she saw were all about the new show and its first episode. She stared at the colorfully-filtered gif sets of Ruby Rose without knowing there was a growing blush on her face.

But the edits and graphics were easy enough to admire. It was the written comments she was worried about. Blake knew she wouldn't be able to bear negative comments about her favorite show.

But to her relief, there seemed to be almost no hatred towards it or towards Ruby's role as lead actress. Her body relaxed, the tension slowly unwinding from her chest as she realized fans and critics alike loved Ruby Rose.

 _Thinking of Ruby Rose…_

Blake looked over her shoulder as if someone might catch her doing something wrong and quickly brought up the actress' personal account. She almost felt like she might be stalking the poor girl, but she just wanted to see if Ruby had said anything about the premiere last night.

As she scrolled through the pages, Blake checked for Ruby's icon, a red rose, and read her latest post.

 _"Ninjas of Love was a huge hit! I'm so thankful for all the support! It's such an honor to pla_ _y Briar!"_

It made Blake smile to see that Ruby was getting positive feedback and seemed to be enjoying herself with the role.

Of course there were a few negative comments floating around her page, but overall the response from fans consisted of support and congratulations for Ruby.

 _"You play Briar so well!"_ and _"You're just how I envisioned her!"_ and _"Ruby Rose is irl Briar!"_

From what Blake could tell, Ruby only focused on the positive responses, and ignored whatever negativity failed to be constructive. It made Blake happy to know Ruby was happy, and that the fandom in general was happy too.

"Maybe I should say something too…"

The words fell from her mouth in a mumble as Blake continued browsing the pages. She'd never posted a comment where she'd needed to tag someone else before. Her accounts were mainly for her own thoughts and musings; it's not like she had many followers.

Tagging someone else had never really crossed her mind. She didn't know how people had the guts to tag their favorite celebrities in knowing they might actually read the comments from a random fan.

Blake didn't think she had the confidence to tag Ruby and potentially have her read something she'd written. Just thinking about it was making Blake nervous, and her fingers fidgeted along the keyboard.

"It would be kinda cool though, if she saw something from me. She'd have no idea who I am of course, but still…"

Blake debated for several minutes, trying to convince herself that tagging Ruby might not be a bad idea. But whenever she'd just about motivated herself to do it, something would stop her.

 _She's probably gotten generic compliments so many times, she doesn't even read them anymore. They're all the same coming from strangers, right? Even if she ever_ did _see something from me, it's not like she'd know who I was or anything like that… So what's the point?_

And then just as she'd dishearten herself, she'd snap back in defiance.

 _But there'd be no harm in sending her a compliment anyway. I'm not trying to do this to get recognized or anything like that. I just want her to know there's another fan out there who supports her._

With that, she finally thought she'd be able to do this. She mustered up the courage to go to the text box and start typing a message.

But then she was hit with another roadblock.

 _What do I even say? "Good job, you're perfect as Briar, I love the show" ...She's probably read it all before…_

Blake groaned and grabbed a fistful of her own hair. She'd never felt so conflicted in all her life, and all she was doing was sitting in her room typing on her computer.

She spent no fewer than ten more minutes trying to think of a message she could type and tag Ruby Rose in, but nothing seemed like it'd be terribly original or worthy.

But just as she was about to give up hope on herself, she thought of something. She quickly clicked the text box and began typing:

"Thank you for your hard work in portraying Briar. We fans really appreciate it."

It was simple enough for people to say they liked her acting, but how many had ever _thanked_ her for it? Blake wanted to show her appreciation for Ruby's outstanding job in bringing her favorite character to life.

She read and re-read the message no fewer than a dozen times before she even considered typing in Ruby's name to tag her in the post. Those eight letters took longer for her to type out than the message had. She just couldn't believe she was about to do this.

And then there was the issue of clicking the post button. Her mouse hovered over it but she didn't press down. She was caught in an internal debate as to whether or not she was really going to do this.

 _She probably won't even see it… But then, what's the harm? If she doesn't it's not a big deal, but if she does then it could brighten her mood for a second…_

And with that Blake had decided. She was going to post it.

She sucked in a deep breath to steel herself and lifted her index finger over the mousepad, ready to bring it down and give life to that post of hers, the post where she'd tagged Ruby Rose-

"Wah-?!"

Blake shrieked and gasped at the same time as a sudden buzzing noise sounded. In the dead silence of her room, the vibration of her phone made her jump, nearly knocking her laptop off her knees and causing her to scramble to catch it. She frantically checked the screen to ensure she hadn't accidentally hit the post button in her panic, and to her relief she hadn't.

As the initial start faded, Blake let out a long breath before reaching for her phone. It was a text message from Weiss.

 ** _So how are you doing? What does everyone else think of this Ruby Rose girl as the lead actress?_ **

Despite the fact that Weiss' surprise text had startled her, Blake smiled now. Weiss was a good friend - good enough to know that Blake would still be thinking about and fawning over Ruby Rose this morning, and good enough to prompt her to rant all about it.

Blake pushed her laptop aside for a second to text back.

 ** _Morning, Weiss. It seems like most people really like her! I was thinking of tagging her in a post or something to show my support._**

Weiss replied:

 ** _That sounds like a nice thing to do. I'm sure she'd appreciate it._**

But despite Weiss' encouragement, once Blake started over-thinking it again, her shoulders slumped. She slowly began typing out her misgivings to Weiss.

 _ **But… She's got thousands of fans for this… So what difference would my comment make anyway?**_

She felt guilty even sending that text to Weiss. This felt like such a trivial matter, and yet she was bugging her friend with it. When her phone vibrated with Weiss' response, Blake read it quietly:

 ** _And? So what if she's already received a million messages from a million different people? Only you can send yours, Blake._ **

And there was just something about Weiss' message. Maybe it was because she was such an excellent student and knew exactly how to write exactly what Blake needed to read. It was probably that, and the fact that Weiss was just a really good friend.

But her message encouraged Blake, gave her the final push of motivation she needed this morning. She straightened her posture and swept her fingers across her phone's screen to type a reply.

 ** _You're right, Weiss. Thanks._**

And with that she put her phone aside, pulled her laptop back within range, re-read her message to Ruby one last time, and then clicked the post button.

She watched the page load and refresh with her message on the top of the feed. It even showed up in the "Ninjas Of Love" tag. But whether or not Ruby Rose would ever see it would probably remain a mystery forever.

Either way it didn't matter. Blake felt good about posting it now and she told Weiss as much.

 ** _I'm proud of you._ ** Weiss replied. **_Now you'd best get ready for work._**

It might've been Sunday, but during the summertime Blake and Weiss worked together at a local café as baristas. Weiss had gotten her the job due to her many connections around town, and luckily enough, they'd both gotten Saturdays off. A coincidence that now allowed them to enjoy watching new episodes of Ninjas Of Love together.

Other than that, Blake worked mornings or evenings every other day of the week, although just for a few hours a day. It was a fairly easygoing job, and having Weiss there with her on just about every shift only made it all the more enjoyable.

She put her phone and laptop aside and finally got out of bed, stretching herself out before she made her way to her bathroom to shower and freshen up for the day.

. . .

Blake was still feeling giddy and nervous about posting her message to Ruby as she stepped out of the bathroom in a fresh pair of clothes, a towel still wrapped around her head. She knew nothing would happen, but even so she couldn't resist going back to her bed to check her laptop.

She refreshed the page and checked her post to find that several other people had liked it. Blake smiled, glad to know that other fans felt similarly.

She went about drying and brushing her hair, and then stepped into a pair of black boots to go with her purple plaid shirt and black jeans. She closed her laptop and grabbed her phone, slipping it into her pocket, before heading outside.

It was a typical summer day, one that made Blake immediately regret her choice of black and dark clothes, but she reminded herself that the café was air-conditioned. She started down the sidewalk to wait at her and Weiss' usual meeting spot, so they could walk to work together.

A few blocks down she reached the designated bench. It was shaded by a dogwood tree, and she was grateful for its cover from the heat as she sat down.

It was unusual for her to be earlier than Weiss, so while she waited for her, Blake pulled out her phone once again. She nervously checked the website where she'd tagged Ruby and searched her news feed for the post.

And this time, Blake couldn't believe her eyes. She felt her heart do a small backflip as she lifted the phone to her nose and squinted to make sure she wasn't imagining things.

Her post had 24 likes on it.

But one of the most-recent likes was from Ruby Rose herself.

Blake made certain it wasn't just a fan with the actress' name. It was Ruby Rose's handle and her same profile picture. Which meant…

 _She saw it…_

"Sorry I'm late!" Weiss' voice called out from nearby. She ran up the sidewalk toward the bench, dressed in a much more seasonally-appropriate sundress. The second she saw Blake hunched over on the bench with her phone in her face, Weiss quirked an eyebrow. "Blake? What are you-"

"W-Weiss!" Blake jumped up from her seat, nearly dropped her phone, scrambled to catch it, and then grabbed her best friend's hand in her excitement. "Sh-She liked it! R-Ruby Rose saw my post a-and she..." Blake looked between her phone screen and her puzzled friend, feeling like she was about to cry in joy.

When Weiss finally understood the situation, she smiled.

"That's wonderful, Blake. I'm glad for you. See? Aren't you glad you decided to tell her something nice?"

"Y-Yeah..." She looked back to her phone in disbelief. Thinking quickly, she took a screenshot of Ruby Rose's like on her post. Then Blake gave her full attention to her best friend. "It's all thanks to you for encouraging me to do it, Weiss."

"Blake, please. You got noticed by an actress. It isn't as though I've helped you win the lottery."

"It feels about the same to me, though."

Weiss smiled and rolled her eyes. "Well, either way I'm glad to have been of help."

Blake grinned and pulled her friend into a big hug, both to thank Weiss and to channel a bit of her excitement. Weiss patted her back a few times before clearing her throat and pulling away.

"Blake, we've got to make our shift."

"Oh, right."

They walked side by side to the cafe, clocked in, and then slid on their aprons before they got to work.

Blake tried her hardest to focus on the customers and their orders rather than her own giddiness. But the fact that Ruby Rose had actually noticed her message was having a bit of an effect on her.

She was rather distracted and would have mixed up a few orders if it hadn't been for Weiss. Blake thanked her sheepishly before forcing herself to focus more on her work, rather than her excitement.

She allowed that "like" from Ruby Rose to motivate her through her shift.

After the lunchtime crowds died down and the café became a little quieter, Blake found a moment to lean back against the counter and sigh.

"I still can't believe it…"

Weiss sauntered over to her and gave a pat to Blake's arm.

"Now, now. You've still got twenty minutes on your shift. Then after that you can squeal all you like."

"Right."

Just then the café doors opened with the telltale jingling of the bells. Blake and Weiss dutifully turned around to greet their newest customer.

But the person who walked through the door wasn't at all like the usual people they saw come through there.

This girl was tall, wore bright flashy clothes, and had a beautiful figure. Her eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, and her shorts and shirt gave way to slightly-sun-tanned skin.

But her most striking feature was undoubtedly her hair.

Luscious, long golden hair that flowed down her back in wavy layers. She turned every head in the cafe, and even earned a few muttered "holy crap"s.

She clearly wasn't from around here. Vale was a small town where everyone knew everyone else. There weren't any young supermodels living here as far as Blake knew.

It seemed all eyes were on this girl, whose presence and stance conveyed pure confidence as she strolled up to the counter to place her order. As she tipped her sunglasses down her nose, her lavender eyes came to rest on Blake.

"Hey," the blonde said with a grin. "Can I get an iced caramel coffee and a Strawberry Swirl Summer Special?"

Like everyone else in the building, Blake was temporarily stunned by this girl's beauty, even more so because she was making eye contact with her. A quick stomp on her foot from Weiss snapped her out of it.

"Y-Yeah, sure. Of course. Can I have your name?"

"Yang," she said. "My sister and I are new around here and we figured we'd check out the local shops, y'know?"

Blake was dazed for a moment. She couldn't quite understand why but for some reason this girl seemed… familiar… She couldn't remember exactly when or where she'd seen or heard about her, but Blake knew she definitely had at some point-

"Blake!" Another hiss from Weiss had Blake whirling around to start preparing the drinks as requested.

"S-Sorry." Blake mumbled an apology to Weiss as they stood side by side, each making one of the drinks.

When Blake was finished with the Strawberry Swirl, she was about to bring it over to the counter, expecting Weiss to follow with the iced coffee. But Weiss didn't budge. Blake noticed her face was extremely red.

"Weiss?"

"Just take both." Weiss handed her the other drink and turned away, unable to even look at Yang any longer.

Blake chuckled softly. It was obvious everyone in the café already had some form of crush on this Yang girl, but Weiss definitely had it the worst.

So Blake took both drinks to the register and called for her by name.

"Yang?"

The blonde had been sitting at a table by herself, winking at anyone who glanced her way. When she was called she stood up and swaggered over to pay and pick up her drinks.

"Thanks," she said to Blake. Then, with a grin she leaned over the counter just a bit and looked toward Weiss half-hiding behind the snack display case. "And thanks to you too, Miss."

When Weiss realized the gratitude was meant specifically for her, she slapped a hand to her mouth and gave a quick nod.

With that Yang looked back to Blake.

"These drinks look great! I know my little sister's gonna love hers. Maybe we'll see you two around sometime. See ya!"

And with that Yang took the drinks and headed out the door.

Blake was aware of Weiss skittering in beside her as they watched her exit the café.

But just as the door was closing, Blake caught Yang's voice one last time.

"Hey, Rubes-"

She had clearly turned to talk to someone else who had been waiting outside for her.

Blake didn't believe her ears. She wasn't sure if she'd really heard it, that name that sounded a lot like "Ruby."

She tried to peer out the doors, but she couldn't make out the other person Yang was walking away with, just that they were wearing a red cardigan, skirt, and brown boots. But they disappeared into a crowd within seconds, and Blake snapped herself out of her trance.

"There's… There's no way."

She shook herself off and turned back to Weiss, who was also trying to compose herself before their shift ended.

And it seems both of them kept telling themselves the same thing for different reasons.

"No way. No way…"

* * *

 **A/N: A tiny development. Ruby 'noticed' Blake online and now she might even be getting drinks from her cafe! How is the nervous bookworm Blake going to handle this newfound crush? And even Weiss has found someone who makes her blush!**

 **Please review!**


	3. Strawberry Swirl

**I'm so glad everyone was happy to see this fic come back! I'll be updating every week or every other week!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 3. Strawberry Swirl

About ten minutes after Yang had walked out, Blake and Weiss finished their shift and began their walk home. They were both still kind of wrapped up in a dumbfounded silence, and it wasn't until they exited the café and started walking through town that they each finally realized this was reality.

Blake kept her eyes on just about every passerby within her line of sight, seeking out Yang in particular. Or rather, seeking out the person who had been _with_ Yang.

Blake still wasn't about to let herself believe it. But if it was true…

 _Oh my gosh, what if it's true?_

She got a little lightheaded just thinking about it. What if Ruby Rose had been there today, standing outside the café she works at, just a few yards away from her?

Blake shook her head as she continued walking, feeling a sudden urge to break the silence.

"So," she began. "That Yang girl-"

"What about her?" Weiss asked sharply, cutting her off mid-sentence.

A shade of pink had already raced up her neck and cheeks, and Blake couldn't help but chuckle a little at the sight.

"It's okay, Weiss. I'm pretty sure everyone in the café found her attractive."

"What are you going on about?"

"Hey, you should at least let your best friend know when you have a crush. You're terrible at hiding it anyway. And if you ask me, I think she kind of liked you too."

Weiss fell silent for a moment, suddenly finding an apparent interest in her shoes.

"I… _may_ have found her… _somewhat_ attractive… But there is no way she likes me, she was just being polite!" The last part came out in a rush and she had to take a breath to steady herself.

"People don't wink and smile like that when they're 'just being polite.' She was flirting with you." Blake stopped herself before she could say more; Weiss looked like she was near her limit and she didn't want to push her too far.

"I... I highly doubt she meant anything by that. Some people just like to put on a show."

Blake just smiled, mumbling an agreement. It was nice to know they were sort of in the same boat. Not that it really helped their chances.

 _Even if Ruby came in, it's not like she would suddenly talk to me. She doesn't even know me._ She let out a groan. _I wonder what I should say if she comes in. Could I even start a conversation?_

Despite her nerves, she couldn't help but feel a desperate need to find out who Yang really was. Maybe if she knew about her she could find out about Ruby, too.

"So…" Weiss murmured. "Do you like that Ruby Rose girl? You've been fawning over her all day." Her voice was light, but she was watching her friend intently.

"W-What?" Blake couldn't help but stutter at the question. "Fawning? What do you mean?"

"Oh, please. How many times did you check your phone today, hoping to see if she noticed what you said online? Not to mention you're practically stalking the girl… Didn't you _just_ say you should at least tell your best friend?"

Blake bit her lip.

"I… I think I might like her. I hadn't really thought about it until now."

"No, you probably haven't," Weiss said with a grin. "But you've been acting like it for a while."

It was Blake's turn to blush, and she couldn't help but try to cover it with her hands. "I guess I earned that, didn't I?"

Weiss let out a laugh. "Yes, so that makes us even."

They walked in relative silence, bursting into several bouts of spontaneous giggles before splitting up a few blocks from Blake's house. She practically ran the rest of the way, eager to begin her research on whether or not Yang was really Ruby Rose's sister.

Blake hurried up the stairs, nearly tripping over her feet in the process, and then scrambled into her room. Her parents didn't chase after her, and she was grateful they only called up a greeting.

She curled up on her bed and started clicking on her laptop.

It didn't take long to find what she was looking for.

Last night, Blake had mainly been focused on researching Ruby herself, but had paid little attention to any mention of her family.

But now as Blake was looking over Ruby's "Personal Life" section, she read a brief passage:

 _"Ruby Rose has one older half-sister, Yang Xiao Long."_

And that was all Blake really needed.

She felt a wave of bittersweet emotions come over her, and she slumped back against her headboard to stare at the wall.

"That means… she was there today… Ruby Rose was at my café…"

Blake wasn't sure if she was disappointed or relieved that she hadn't actually gotten to see and meet Ruby for herself. On one hand, she would have been ecstatic, but on the other, she knew she would've been too nervous to even say anything to her face-to-face. Whatever she might've managed would've been mindless babble.

 _Maybe it's for the better. At least I didn't have to embarrass myself in front of her._

But there was still a little bit of sadness lingering in her chest. How lucky would she have been to meet her new idol the day after her show had premiered?

Blake grabbed her phone, a mix of anxiousness and excitement overcoming whatever disappointment she still had. She had to text Weiss about her findings.

Weiss didn't take long to respond, and Blake couldn't help but groan when she saw it.

 ** _Do I really want to know what your stalker habits have dug up?_**

Blake rolled her eyes as she reached over to her laptop, clicking on Yang's personal page. She was – of course – a model. She scrolled through a few of the pictures, some of which were really striking.

 ** _I'm not stalking. It's all on her public profile. Do you want to know more about that Yang girl or not?_**

Blake didn't even have time to put her phone down before it vibrated again.

 ** _Fine._**

Blake found the link on her phone and sent it to Weiss.

 ** _Turns out she really is Ruby's sister._**

 ** _Interesting... So Ruby might've really been there today._**

 ** _Maybe..._**

It wasn't long before Blake's browsing ultimately brought her back to Ruby's account. She clicked on the 'liked' posts and saw her own sitting there near the top. Blake stared at it for a long time, lost in thought...

What eventually pulled her from the revere was when a new post was made on Ruby's page. A photo popped up at the top of her page.

And it was...

A photo of the Strawberry Swirl Blake had made for her.

Her jaw nearly hit the floor and her heart leapt into her throat.

She couldn't believe she was seeing this. Ruby Rose had taken a picture of the drink _Blake_ herself had handed to her sister only twenty minutes earlier.

Blake had _personally_ prepared the _exact drink_ that Ruby Rose's hand was now holding in this photo.

Before Blake could forget to stop breathing, her eyes traveled to the caption:

 ** _"Strawberry Swirl Summer Special from the local cafe! It's called #CFVY Shoppe and it's totally awesome! Everyone should come try it! #Strawberries4Life #Vale #Yummy."_**

Blake was at an absolute loss. She couldn't believe she was actually seeing this. Ruby had likely taken the photo twenty minutes ago right after Blake had handed it off to Yang and was only uploading now. But just to think that Blake had touched an object Ruby Rose had held, and made a drink she'd enjoyed enough to post about online…

She almost felt like crying – in a good way.

She quickly screenshot the post and called Weiss, because she knew this was too much for texting. Blake gushed for at least twenty minutes as Weiss juggled between teasing her and congratulating her.

The rest of Blake's evening felt surreal as she ate dinner, watched some TV with her parents, and then re-read some Ninjas Of Love before bed.

When she was finally calm enough about everything to lie herself down in bed, she closed her eyes with a long sigh.

 _I wonder if they'll still be in town tomorrow…_

* * *

Blake nearly jumped out of bed the next morning and got herself ready as quickly as possible.

Being a Monday, both of her parents were already at work, so Blake made herself a quick breakfast and then was out the door to go collect Weiss and head to work.

Neither of them could avoid talking about the pair of sisters now, and all throughout their shift they kept perking up whenever the bells rang, curious to see if anyone who walked in was model or actress material.

But neither Ruby nor Yang stopped by today, which was a little disheartening. Blake feared Weiss' assumption that they had only been passing through town yesterday might've been correct. Thinking about that was a little depressing.

 _That means I missed my one and only chance… But I guess it's better to have even had that chance at all, right?_

And besides, at the very least Blake could walk away with her screenshots of Ruby Rose's posts, and the knowledge that Blake had prepared her new favorite drink for her. That would always be a personal victory for her no matter what.

By the time they were clocking out and making their way home, Blake was beginning to feel a little worn out from her constant look-out for the pair. She didn't have long to relax though, because her mother texted and asked her to pick up some food on her way home.

Thankfully the local grocery was only a few minute walk from the café, so Blake didn't mind making the trip. She had nothing else to do tonight anyway, just lounge around and maybe do some reading.

When she got to the store, she picked up a basket and began going over her mother's shopping list, absently scanning the aisles' contents. She couldn't help it - doing something so monotonous let her mind wander, and her thoughts soon strayed back to Ruby.

 _I wonder if she buys her food at a regular grocery store, too. Or does their family have its own chef or something? How does she have time to go to school in between all the acting work? Her page said she's only 15…_

Blake was musing to herself so much that she wasn't paying attention to reality. As she was going to the next aisle she bumped into a display table full of small dessert boxes, and had to quickly scramble to grab a few before they fell.

There was a little cry of shock from someone on the other side and they jumped forward, catching the last box before it crashed onto the hard tile. Blake let out a little breath, quickly rearranging the boxes as best she could before sheepishly walking around to the other side to apologize.

"I-I'm so sorry about that. I wasn't paying attention…"

She looked the other person over to find it was another girl, probably about Blake's own age. Her head and hair were covered by the hood of a black sweatshirt, and from what Blake could gather, her overfall form was a bit small.

She was holding a basket on her arm, full of various sweets and desserts. The box she'd just saved from certain doom - they were cookies, Blake realized - was resting on top of the small mountain.

The girl shook her head and stood up, revealing her face-

Her very, very familiar face.

And Blake felt her breath hitch in her throat.

"It's okay!" the girl beamed. "None of the cookies were damaged, and you actually gave me exactly the ones I needed!"

Her voice was much higher-pitched than Blake had heard it before a few nights ago. Her rosy cheeks were round like apples and her smile was bright and wide.

And her eyes…

Her eyes were unmistakably silver.

Blake was frozen on the spot there, in the little back corner of the grocery store's bakery. Her jaw unhinged and hung open like a broken doll's, her mind blank like the screen of a television that's been disconnected.

She knew exactly who she was looking at. Despite the change in clothes and attempts to conceal her face, Blake recognized her voice if not her eyes.

She'd only really watched episode 1 with Weiss as it was airing, but after that she'd stared at multiple gif sets and re-watched certain clips…

Blake just couldn't believe it.

 _Ruby Rose…_

After twenty or so seconds of stunned, embarrassing, dumbfounded silence, Blake realized the other girl's smile had faded and now she was giving her a concerned look.

"Uh, Miss? Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself when you ran into the table?"

Blake could hardly comprehend the fact that Ruby Rose was standing right here in front of her and now she was addressing her specifically. She had to snap herself out of her trance and act like an actual human being. Blinking a few times, Blake worked her jaw and tried to make her voice come out.

"I-I'm… Y-You're…"

It was like she'd forgotten how to speak. She'd had a million questions to ask Ruby and a million more things just to say to her in general. But now that she was standing right in front of her, Blake's thoughts were completely erased.

But despite her unintelligent babble, Ruby seemed to understand everything right away. She looked around to make sure there was no one within earshot, then grinned and cupped a hand to the side of her mouth, her voice a whisper.

"I can't believe you know who I am. That's great! I'm so glad someone from this town recognizes me! I just moved to Vale, so I'm sure I'll see you around. But try to act a little more natural next time…" With an impish wink and a quick smirk, Ruby Rose scurried away and disappeared behind the many food aisles.

Blake was left standing and staring at the cookies in front of her. There were so many emotions coursing through her right now, so many that it felt like they all clashed together and canceled each other out. She was feeling everything and nothing.

Ruby Rose.

Ruby Rose was just…

 _She… She was just here. In front of me. Talking to me and looking at me…_

She felt as though she was going to sway and fall over, probably knock over the entire display table this time. She didn't know what to do-

A sudden buzzing in her pocket nearly made her fall over for real. Blake fished out her phone and scrambled to swipe it and read the screen. It was her mother asking what was taking her so long. Blake shakily replied that she'd be back soon and wobbled her way to the registers.

She checked all over the store as she walked, but saw no more signs of Ruby Rose. She'd disappeared as unexpectedly as she'd come, truly like a ninja.

Blake stuttered through a casual conversation with the cashier before taking her bags and staggering out the doors.

Only when she was outside did she begin to run, sprinting off her excitement and embarrassment as she rushed all the way home. She burst through the front door, dropped the bags of food and called out to her parents that she was going to Weiss' house, and then was off and running through the neighborhood again.

Blake didn't even send Weiss a warning text. She just ended up on her porch, rang the doorbell and waited anxiously.

She considered herself lucky that it was Weiss who answered, not Whitley or Winter or their father, because the second that door was open Blake threw herself at Weiss with a cry of distress and excitement.

Weiss only just barely managed to catch her.

"B-Blake? What in the world-"

"W-Weiss! You're… You're not gonna believe this!"

* * *

 **A/N: A lucky development for lovestruck Blake! When will she be able to meet Ruby again? And will she ever get closer to her than just being a fan?**

 **Please review!**


	4. The Number On The Napkin

**Just in case anyone was confused, last chapter Ruby made a post on her social media and Blake liked it. When Blake later made a comment, Ruby liked that in turn. I think I might've used the word "post" and "comment" interchangeably and it might've confused a few people. But regardless I hope you understand what happened.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 4. The Number On The Napkin

"You met Ruby Rose?"

Weiss' cry of disbelief echoed around her bedroom. She'd brought Blake up there upon her surprise arrival, as it was the most private place they could hang out together.

Blake was sitting on the edge of her bed, twiddling her fingers at the base of her shirt. She nodded coyly and continued.

"I was just grocery shopping and I bumped into her… Kind of literally, almost."

"And you know for certain it was her?"

"No mistake. What's more, she said her family had just moved here to Vale."

"Really now?" Weiss perked up at the news. "That's interesting. I assume they've kept that tidbit a secret, so the press won't be hounding them as much. For them to live in such a small town like this, they're probably looking for a bit of peace and quiet."

"Yeah, so I shouldn't mention anything to anyone. I mean, except you of course."

"Don't fret, I've got no one to tell." Weiss walked over to her friend and sat down next to her on the bed. "We have to be tactful about this. If they come into the café again, or if we see them around town, we have to act as though they're any other person. It's only fair we conceal their privacy."

"Yeah. You're right…" Blake sighed a little reluctantly. "I just… I wish I could…" She tapered off, but she didn't need to say it for Weiss to understand.

"I know. But we shouldn't impose ourselves in their lives. It wouldn't be right."

Blake's shoulders sagged a little, but she nodded. "Yeah…"

Weiss laid a hand on her friend's shoulder, trying to give her some reassurance. It was obvious Blake was feeling a little upset about all of this.

"Why don't you sleep over tonight?"

Blake looked up with a smile.

"Thanks, Weiss. I think I could use the company."

Blake texted her mother to let her know she'd be sleeping over. Weiss lent her some clean casual clothes to change into and she joined Weiss' family for supper, which wasn't unusual for them at all.

That night, Blake and Weiss discussed the famous sisters moving to their little town. And Blake noticed that Weiss seemed to be mentioning Yang as much as she herself was mentioning Ruby.

"So," she drawled at one point. "If they come into the café again, do you want me to give Yang your number?"

"Wh-What? What on earth are you blabbing about? Of course not!" Weiss turned pink and lightly whacked her with a pillow. "If you do such a thing, I'll give Ruby yours!"

That retort had Blake's laughter cutting off immediately.

After that, they re-watched the premiere episode of Ninjas Of Love, and Weiss asked all about the series, assuming she'd have to get into it sooner or later. Blake was content to go off ranting and raving about the lore of it without giving away any spoilers.

She wore a smile as she talked, but somewhere along the lines a troubling thought struck her. Blake's shoulders slumped and her smile vanished. Her voice lowered as she turned to Weiss on the couch.

"Hey, Weiss?"

"What is it?"

Blake fidgeted in her spot, and her voice became heavy with guilt.

"I... I guess I feel a little weird about all of this. I mean, I've loved this series for so long, way before it became a show. I loved it just for the story and I loved Briar as a character. So I wonder if it's... if it's okay for me to be getting so excited about Ruby Rose.

"I don't wanna think about her as Briar. She's her own person. So I'm just not sure if it's fair for me to be so excited about her moving here when I only really know and like her because of the character she plays... Maybe I'm just being stupid-"

"You've got that right!"

"Huh?" Blake felt as Weiss grabbed her face and turned her head, making her look a her face. Weiss gave her a stern lecture.

"Blake, it's only natural that you'd like her because of the character she plays. You've loved that character for years. It's not wrong of you to admire Ruby Rose for her skills. In fact, I'm sure she'd be flattered to know her character's biggest fan approves of her portrayal of Briar."

"I guess... But-"

"But nothing! It's fine for you to be excited about her moving here, Blake. So long as you don't go around stalking her and acting like she's a fictional character instead of a human being."

"O-Of course I wouldn't!"

"So then what's the issue?" Weiss released her friend's face and gave her a pat on the back instead. "It's all right to be excited about this, Blake. And who knows? Maybe if you see her around enough, you can become friends with her for who she is, not who she plays."

"That... I think that would be nice. She's really cute-"

Blake realized too late she'd said that out loud, and the subsequent slap of her palm over her mouth was too late. Weiss smirked knowingly.

"Oh, so you're already crushing on her, hm?"

"Y-You should talk! You went red as a cherry when Yang called you 'Miss' and thanked you for the iced coffee."

"Don't change the subject!" Weiss snapped. "What I mean to say is it's a good thing if you're liking Ruby for who she is, without thinking about her in terms of her acting. I'd say that's a step in the right direction. Me, on the other hand..." Weiss trailed off this time and looked away.

Blake already felt better from her friend's reassurance. Now it was her turn.

"Weiss, it's okay if you like Yang. She's a model, so it's kind of hard _not_ to be attracted to the physical stuff. If you ever do get to talk to her, I'm sure you'd like her personality, too."

"N-Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves... But thank you, Blake."

"Don't mention it."

With each of them reassured by the other now, they turned off the television and got ready for bed.

Weiss retreated to her bed while Blake opened the couch and laid herself on the pull-out mattress.

They hadn't been this excited about going to work tomorrow since the first day they'd started working together.

* * *

Blake and Weiss woke at the sound of Weiss' alarm the next morning, and they took turns dressing and getting ready. Blake borrowed some of Weiss' clothes instead of running back home to grab something of her own. She settled for a pair of shorts and a blouse while Weiss put on a blue sundress.

After a quick breakfast of toast, fruit, and coffee, they headed out for the café.

It was another beautiful day full of potential. They tried not to expect to see Ruby or Yang at the café today, but they'd try not to be surprised if it did happen.

Blake and Weiss were on a mission now; to act normally if they saw the sisters, to not give them away in front of the public any more than they gave themselves away.

The reached the café, clocked in, and got to work.

The usual morning crowd came through, and then the lunch crowd. But no beautiful blondes or rosy-cheeked brunettes.

They left the café feeling a little dejected and parted ways for the evening.

As soon as Blake got home and up to her room, she decided to blog a little bit. But she didn't get far before she got a notification from someone she followed. And she only followed a few people.

To her excitement, it was - in fact - from Ruby Rose. She'd posted a photo, one that made Blake's heart sink.

It was a photo of the CFVY Shoppe that said _"Back at one of my fav places for a cool drink!"_

Posted twenty seconds ago.

Which meant Ruby Rose was probably walking into the café right now.

Right as Blake had just gotten home.

"You've gotta be kidding me..." She groaned and flopped onto her pillow with a whine. "I just missed her... And it's not like I can go back over there right now and act like a customer just as an excuse to see her..."

Defeated, she texted Weiss her dilemma and sighed. Weiss replied with equal dismay, but also a hint of positivity.

 _That's terrible timing... But isn't it a bit neat to consider they're at the same place we were just at? Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long are only a ten-minute walk away from us right now. How many people can say that?_

Blake smiled as she read the text. Weiss was right. And besides, if the sisters were back at the café again, that meant they might become regulars. Especially since Ruby said it was her favorite place for drinks.

That made Blake's heart flutter. She sat back up and tried to get ahold of herself.

"I wonder who prepared her drink for her. Probably Coco or Velvet... I doubt either of them know who she is."

But perhaps that was for the better. Ninjas Of Love had a very passionate, but very small fanbase. So realistically, Blake might've been one of the only people in Vale who actually knew that Ruby Rose was an actress, and consequently might've been one of the only people who would make a big deal about her. But Ruby still probably had to cover her face when she could, just as a precaution.

Blake got lost in more thoughts about the girl for a while, wondering if she'd get lucky enough to see her tomorrow.

* * *

She and Weiss went to work together for the rest of the week, but didn't see Ruby or Yang. Ruby didn't make any more posts on her social media about going there, but she did post a lot of other things. Pictures of her corgi, who Blake now knew was named Zwei, pictures of the food she bought, and then just everyday posts talking about the weather and things like that.

On Friday night Ruby promoted the following day's episode of Ninjas Of Love, and that's what got Blake through her final day of work.

On Saturday Blake went out with Weiss to do some shopping, and then came back to her friend's house to watch the new episode.

It was odd now, seeing Ruby Rose playing Briar on national television when Blake had just seen her a few days ago stuffing cookies into her grocery basket. It just went to show that she was a serious actress and a hard worker, but when the cameras were off she was just a regular girl.

The second episode was thrilling, with Briar making a very suspenseful kill in the nick of time before someone caught her in the act. She left no evidence and retreated back to her apartment where she hung up her katana and then fed a mouse to her pet snake. The episode left off with a shot of the serpent coiling itself around the dead mouse and sinking in its fangs, a chilling, yet telling image.

As soon as it was over, Blake slumped back against the couch with a smile.

"That was soooo good..."

Weiss chuckled from beside her.

"You're like that mouse, Blake. Ruby Rose has got you snared."

"Shut up."

Blake pulled out her phone and started posting about the new episode, tagging the series every time as she talked online with other fans. She only tagged Ruby Rose once, to once again commend her on her performance.

Part of her wanted to add in something like "Come by the CFVY Shoppe tomorrow!" but she refrained. She didn't want to say something that might give away her own identity. If Ruby found out her barista was one of her online fans, she wasn't sure how she'd react. And Blake didn't want Ruby to feel uncomfortable if she knew someone recognized her in real life.

It really was a lot to think about, and it was difficult not to feel like she might be stepping out of line.

* * *

The next day, on Sunday, they didn't see either of the sisters at the café either. And Blake was just beginning to wonder if they'd ever see them again when Monday morning rolled around.

Weiss and Blake had barely put on their aprons when the doors opened and the bells rang, and in stepped Yang Xiao Long and Ruby Rose themselves.

Blake almost fell over, but luckily for her Weiss almost fell over toward her so they bumped into each other and snapped themselves out of the trance.

They might've been able to prepare themselves for this throughout the day. But first thing in the morning... their very first customers of the day-

"Hey, morning," Yang said with a wave as if they were all old friends. Her gaze went straight to Weiss. "Could I have the Monday Morning Melon Mix, please?"

"O-Of course!" Weiss almost tripped as she turned around to start making the drink.

But Blake couldn't help her right now. It was every girl for herself.

Ruby was approaching her with a smile, no hood to cover her face this time, just a bright unhindered smile.

"Hi! Can I have... hey, do I know you?" She paused when she got close to the counter to look up at Blake.

Blake's heart did a backflip as her thoughts jumbled her mind.

 _What do I say? Should I tell her we met in the store? Should I tell her I know her from acting?_

Either way, she knew she had to say _something._

"U-Um, well, I-"

"Yeesh, Rubes!" Yang cut in by leaning her arm on her little sister's head. "Don't waste her time, just give her your order!"

"R-Right, sorry! I'll have the Strawberry Swirl Summer Special please!"

"I... u-uh right. I mean sure. O-One moment, please."

Blake stiffly turned away and started preparing the drink. She was just as nervous as she'd been the first time and had to force herself to focus and remember how to make the swirl. She was vaguely aware of Weiss handing Yang her drink and telling her the order total in a clipped voice.

Blake swallowed, knowing it'd be her turn next. She sucked in a deep breath as she capped Ruby's drink, the turned to the register, trying not to look her customer directly in those pretty silver eyes of hers.

"Will... Will that be all?"

"Hmmm, actually can I have one of this big chocolate-chip cookies, too?"

"Sure. For here or to go?"

"Mmm, to go."

"Okay..." Blake was a little sad they wouldn't be staying, but maybe that was for the best. Otherwise she and Weiss would never be able to focus on their job.

Blake picked up a napkin and selected a cookie for Ruby, then slipped it into a little baggie before handing it to her.

"Your total is $4.99."

"Okie-doki!" Ruby dug through her wallet and pulled out a five. When Blake handed her back the penny, their hands touched.

"Enjoy..."

"Thanks, Blake!"

"Wh-" Blake really needed someone to pinch her this time.

 _H-How does she know my name?!_

"Hey, Ruby," Yang chided her sister. "Just because they're wearing name tags doesn't mean you should just go callin' them by their first names all casual-like."

"Oh. Sorry."

"N-No!" Blake gulped. "It's fine. I-I was just... really surprised..."

But even more surprising was when Ruby leaned over the counter toward her again.

"Are you suuure we haven't met before?"

"U-Um, I mean-"

"Hey, Ruby, c'mon." Yang grabbed her little sister by the scruff of her shirt and pulled her back a step. "Sorry about my sister. We're new around here. She's probably seen you in-passing or something."

"It's fine," Blake half-wheezed. "A-Actually-"

"Y'know, if it's not too much trouble, Ruby and I would love to have someone show us around sometime. We're still getting situated unpacking at home and stuff. If you two are ever free, would you mind giving us a tour? You and your friend. Weiss, is it?"

"Y-Yes!" Weiss squeaked. "Weiss Schnee!"

Yang's eyebrow raised.

"Schnee, huh? You don't say. I'm pretty sure I've worn some of your family's jewelry for some shoots in the past. Small world, huh?"

"Really?" Ruby piped up. "That's so neat!"

"I'll say!" Yang grinned, then turned back to the baristas. "So what do you think? If you have some free time this week, could you guys show us around?"

Blake and Weiss shot half-terrified, half-excited looks at one another. Blake had forgotten how to speak by this point, so she begged Weiss to answer in the affirmative. Weiss cleared her throat and tried to compose herself as she stepped forward.

"That sounds nice. Blake and I would love to give you two a tour of Vale." It was a miracle her voice didn't waver. Blake made a mental note to thank her later.

Yang and Ruby both grinned.

"Great!" the blonde said. "I'll leave you my number just in case we don't catch you here at the café. Seems our schedules are all different."

Neither Blake nor Weiss fully comprehended those words until Yang had pulled out a napkin and a pen and scribbled a phone number on it. She pushed the napkin specifically toward Weiss.

"There. Just shoot me a text whenever you guys are free!"

"Yay!" Ruby cheered. "I can't wait!"

"Thanks again! Bye!"

Yang waved to the baristas, and with that the sisters took their food and left.

And then they were gone, as if it had all been a dream.

The only indication it was real was the tight feeling in Blake's chest and the napkin in front of Weiss.

They couldn't even speak.

They just looked at each other, grabbed hands, and sunk to the floor.

* * *

 **A/N: These two are too gay for their own good. How will they hold up on a 'date' with the sisters?**

 **Please review!**


	5. The Tour

**Now Blake and Weiss must compose themselves to take Ruby and Yang on a tour of Vale! Hopefully they can manage it.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 5. The Tour

It took a few minutes for them to get their bearings.

For a good thirty seconds or so, Blake and Weiss simply stared at one another in utter disbelief, kneeling on the floor behind the counter because they'd lost the strength in their legs. Weiss' mouth was hanging open, and Blake felt like she'd been numbed somehow.

"Did... did that really just happen...?"

"I... I'm not entirely sure..."

Slowly, Blake reached out and took Weiss' wrist, then gradually helped her stand. They staggered a little on the way up, still dumbfounded.

"Um... Weiss? W-What did we just agree to do, exactly?"

"A tour," she murmured. "Give them a tour... of _Vale_."

"A tour," Blake parroted. "But there's... not really anything to do or see here."

"My thoughts exactly."

"And if you think about it... isn't that almost... kind of like a... a... date?"

The second the word came out of her mouth Blake felt a tingle shoot up her spine. At the same time Weiss reached out and grabbed her friend's face sternly.

"What on earth are you talking about? In no way could this _possibly_ be a date! We are merely giving them a tour of the town, Blake. Don't be ridiculous."

"But Weiss, she gave you her number."

Weiss shrieked softly as she scrambled for the napkin that was in her pocket. She glanced it over and re-read it a dozen times.

"Is this... a legitimate number? It doesn't look fake..." She folded it carefully and tucked it back into her pocket, then looked back up at her friend. "Blake... this might be a date..."

"Oh my god..." Blake buried her face in her hands and bit her lip. "No way... no way, no way... With Ruby Rose... This can't be real-"

Right on cue, the bells to the café rang as more customers entered, effectively snapping both baristas out of their trance.

Blake and Weiss scrambled to greet the next wave of customers with tight smiles. They were forced to get back to work with the thoughts of Yang and Ruby in the backs of their minds for the remainder of their shift.

This time, it wasn't just Blake who was distracted enough to switch up orders and nearly drop things, but Weiss had fallen prey as well. They hardly got through three customers without one or both of them making some kind of minor blunder and needing to apologize profusely.

By the time Coco and Velvet arrived to take over for their shift, Blake and Weiss were a mess.

"Yeesh," Coco scoffed. "The heck happened? You two better clock out before we start losing business."

"Sorry," Blake said. "It's been an... interesting morning."

She and Weiss clocked out and hung up their aprons while the other girls took over. They wished each other farewell for the day and parted ways.

Even though Weiss and Blake have had several hours to recover from the shock now, as soon as they stepped outside into the daylight, they were hit by the disbelief all over again.

"So..." Blake mumbled. "W-When should we tell them we can give them a tour? I don't think we should make them wait too long."

"Agreed. Clearly we can't do it today. So perhaps... tomorrow after our shift?"

Blake gulped. Tomorrow seemed way too soon. But at the same time, she couldn't wait for this to happen. She'd get to go around town with Ruby Rose casually, almost as if they were long-time friends. And she'd have Weiss with her to help steady her and keep her from lapsing into a nervous coma.

 _Tomorrow... Will I be mentally and emotionally prepared for tomorrow...?_

After a few minutes of walking and pondering, she realized Weiss was still waiting for a response. After drawing in a deep breath, Blake turned to her with determined eyes.

"Okay. Let's take them tomorrow after work."

Weiss looked equally as nervous as Blake felt. They paused at a bench on the sidewalk and sat down so Weiss could take out her phone and the napkin Yang had given her. Her hands were shaking a little as she unfolded it and typed the number into her phone. Blake put a hand on her shoulder for support as Weiss sent out a message to Yang:

 _ **Hello, Yang. This is Weiss**_ **.** _ **Blake and I would be available to take you and your sister on a tour of Vale tomorrow afternoon at 3PM. Is this optimal for you?**_

Weiss sent a timid glance to Blake who just shrugged and nodded. Weiss hit SEND, and then they waited.

They both stared at her phone in silence for a minute, wondering if Yang would ever reply, or if it was actually a false number.

When the phone did actually ring, both girls jumped anyway. Weiss frantically clicked and opened the message:

 _ **No need to be so formal and sure tomorrow at 3 is peachy! Guess we're gonna meet at the** **café** **right? See you then!**_

Blake's eyes scanned the message in silence. Though it was a conversation between Weiss and Yang, the implications for Blake made her heart flutter.

 _Ruby's coming... I'll get to show her around town..._

"Blake!"

"Huh?!" She yelped when she realized Weiss had been calling her and quickly snapped herself out of her trance. Weiss' eyes were somehow both serious and panicked at the same time.

"Tomorrow at 3. We're meeting them _tomorrow at 3_ , Blake. We've got to get home, shower, and find something to wear!" Weiss jumped up from the bench in one fluid motion, but a second later she nearly swayed. Blake had to stand up to catch her.

"T-Take it easy. W-We don't have to be so nervous about this..."

"You're... You're right..."

They said as much. But by the time they each got to their respective houses, both girls nearly suffered breakdowns with how nervous they were.

Blake showered first and foremost, using a little extra shampoo and conditioner just for good measure. As she changed into her pajamas, she skittered around her room pawing through her drawers and closet, trying to find an outfit for tomorrow. She texted Weiss to check on her and then asked her for advice about what clothes to wear.

 _ **Not too formal, but not too casual!**_ Weiss advised. _**We don't want them to think we've assumed this is a date, but we also don't want them to think we aren't interested!**_

It definitely occurred to Blake that they were both entirely over-thinking this and making a mountain out of a molehill. But she couldn't help it.

Maybe if things went well tomorrow she could become friends with Ruby, and that's all Blake really wanted. To get to know her as a person, not as an actress. She wanted her feelings to be undoubtedly for Ruby Rose.

Eventually, she decided on black jean shorts, a purple blouse, and a dark plaid button-up shirt to top it all off. She laid all of this out in preparation for tomorrow before eating dinner with her parents, informing them she'd be staying out tomorrow.

By the time Blake got back up to her room and checked her laptop, she saw that Ruby Rose had made another post on her account:

 _ **"*YangXL just confirmed we're getting a tour tomorrow from some of the locals! I can't wait! #ValeHype #Adventure"**_

Blake put a hand to her chest to calm down her heart as she liked the post and closed her laptop. She wanted to get plenty of rest for tomorrow, so she went to bed early.

But of course she was so nervous and excited it took several hours for her to get even a wink of sleep.

* * *

The next morning Blake was too jittery to be tired or hungry. She changed into her outfit and skipped breakfast before going to pick up Weiss, who was dressed in a very nice sky-blue dress with a white bolero on her shoulders. They grabbed hands in a display of camaraderie.

"We can do this."

"Right."

They made the ten-minute walk to the café and began their shift, surprised at how efficient they were today in spite of what the afternoon would hold. They handled themselves with poise and professionalism right up until 3PM.

Almost on the dot as Blake and Weiss were clocking out and hanging up their aprons, the bells jingled at the door.

Yang was wearing a yellow tank-top, orange scarf and brown shorts, in addition to the usual shades, automatically drawing the attention of everyone in the shop. Ruby was next to her dressed in a ruffled red polka-dot dress, brown boots, and a tiny red ribbon clipped into her hair.

Blake and Weiss barely had time to inhale before Yang's cheery greeting filled the café.

"Afternoon, you two! My little sis and I are ready for our tour!"

"Yang!" Ruby swiftly turned back to nudge her sister in the gut. " _You_ were the one telling _me_ to try not to draw attention to ourselves!"

"Ah, right, right. My bad."

By this point they'd made it to Weiss and Blake, who were both still trying to convince themselves of reality. Weiss recovered first and cleared her throat.

"Yang, and... Ruby, was it?" she inquired, trying to sound casual. "Blake and I are very excited to be showing you around town today."

"And we're excited to be _being_ shown around town!" Ruby chirped. "Since we got here, all we've really had a chance to do is unpack and make phone calls and-"

"Yeah, all that fun stuff," Yang cut her off. "But now we're ready to have a good time!"

"Yeah!"

The sisters shared a beaming smile, and the entire café seemed to be blinded by them.

It took Blake this long to realize she still hadn't breathed a single word since they'd come in. A glance at Weiss showed that her best friend was silently trying to encourage her to speak. Blake timidly took a step forward.

"W-Well then... shall we get started?"

Her prompting drew forth two excited replies.

"Yes, please!"

"For sure!"

And so Blake and Weiss took the lead out of the café and back into the summer sunlight.

They'd gone over what they would do during this tour multiple times already, planned out where they'd bring the sisters and in what order.

Blake was to start them off by leading them to the local park, and the walking time in-between would hopefully be filled by natural conversation.

But as soon as they started walking, Blake suddenly forgot how to talk. Especially since she was painfully aware of the fact that Ruby was staring at her now.

Blake timidly looked at Weiss for assistance. Her friend dutifully stepped in.

"First we'll be showing you the local park. It's rather historical, though it's recently had its swing set and picnic tables refurbished."

"Sounds like fun!" Yang said.

And had Ruby spoken, Blake knew Weiss wouldn't have been affected. But since it was Yang responding to her, Weiss took the blow and fell silent due to her own nervousness. So as they continued walking, Blake did her best to take over the conversation.

"S-So, you two just recently moved to Vale?"

"Sure did," Yang replied. "All the way from across the country. But I'm likin' this place a lot more already. What about you, Rubes?"

"Definitely!" Ruby agreed. "Vale's a lot smaller, and I like that! It's one of those kinda places where everyone seems to know everyone, and it's really close-knit and personable! Once we get settled in here, there'll be no strangers, only neighbors!"

It was such a pure response it had Blake's cheeks flushing. As they kept walking, she did her best not to steal too many glances at Ruby, but whenever she did, she found the brunette was still looking at her. Blake's heart couldn't handle this. She had to ask.

"U-Um, sorry. Is there something I can do...?"

When Ruby was addressed she must've realized she'd been caught staring.

"Uwah, n-no no, I'm sorry! I guess I've been staring, huh? Sorry, it's just because... you look so familiar, Blake."

"I mean I'd hope so," Yang mutters. "We go to her café every other day."

"No, not just from that," Ruby mumbled. "I feel like I've met you somewhere else... E-Either way, sorry for staring."

Blake let out a shaky breath.

"It's okay... um... a-actually, we did meet somewhere else too... a-at the grocery store last week..."

"Oh!" Ruby's cry of surprise was a little loud as it all came flooding back to her. "That's right! That was you, Blake! With the cookies! And- that means-!" She quickly lowered her voice and waved her hand at Blake in a secretive motion. "You're the one who _knows_ me!"

Blake was almost on the verge of hyperventilation with Ruby so close to her now, looking up at her with those excited silver eyes. She felt a steadying hand on her back from Weiss and remembered she wasn't alone.

"Oh yes, indeed," Weiss said. "Blake knows all about you, Ruby. We'd been meaning to mention that to you."

"Really?!" Ruby squealed. "A-All about me? Like what?"

"Easy, tiger." Yang grabbed her little sister by the scruff of her dress and eased her back a step, out of Blake's face. "You're too intense sometimes, sis."

"Oh. Sorry."

They'd just reached the park now, but before Blake could get out another trembling word, Weiss quietly led them all to a picnic table to sit. The sisters sat down together while Weiss urged Blake onto the bench beside her before she could collapse.

"Go on, Blake. Just tell her."

"B-But-" Blake was suddenly finding it difficult to remember everything she wanted to say. Her mind had been almost entirely wiped clean due to how embarrassed she was now.

But Ruby seemed awfully excited about this news. She leaned over the picnic table so eagerly that Yang had to pull her back again.

"Blake! You know? You know who I am? About-"

"N-Ninjas Of Love," Blake blurted at long last. "I-I've... been a fan of the book series for a long time. A-And then when it got a TV show... I was skeptical they could cast someone good enough for Briar... But you..."

She was surprised she'd stumbled through that much coherently. It took another pat on the back from Weiss to get the rest out of her.

"You... you're perfect. A-And I just... I had a feeling it was you when you started coming into the café, and then I knew for sure. I just... I-I couldn't believe... a-and you-"

"All right, you've said what you needed to," Weiss murmured. "Stop now before you hurt yourself."

Evidently that'd been more than enough anyway. Ruby was bubbling with excitement across the table, her hands on her cheeks as she swooned and squealed.

"Oh my gosh! I didn't think anyone in Vale knew about that series, especially not the TV show! I thought for sure no one would recognize me here since it's such a small town, but _you_ did! That's so-! That's so cool! I'm so happy!" She channeled her excitement by hugging Yang's arm and giggling into her shoulder. Yang patted her sister's head with a smile.

"As you can see, Ruby's thrilled to have met a fan. We'd wanted to mention it earlier but we don't exactly want the whole town knowing about us, y'know?"

"Completely understandable," Weiss said. "We don't plan on telling anyone."

"Thanks." Yang sent her a grin that made Weiss forget how to talk again. "Well now that we know that you two know us, I guess that makes this a lot easier. As you know, Ruby here is an actress. She just finished shooting the last episode of season 1 for Ninjas and now she's on break for a bit. When filming resumes we'll have to take a few flights here and there, but we plan to stay in Vale. Our dad landed a great job here, and with the pay Ruby and I each bring home, it's been pretty darn good."

Blake and Weiss listened intently as Yang told about hers and Ruby's family and personal life. But from there Ruby jumped in, still smiling.

"Yang and I had wanted to find a few people to talk to and confide in about who we were and stuff. Just in case we needed to call for help if we ever got swamped by the media or something like that. And of course someone to show us around town and to, well... maybe just be our friends!"

Oddly enough, this time it didn't take Blake any prompting to speak.

"O-Of course!" she blurted. "Of course we can!" She realized her outburst might've been a little too eager and recoiled, but Yang and Ruby only laughed.

"That's a relief!" the blonde said. "And it's bonus points since you already know who we are. We don't have to go through explaining all that."

"S-So..." Ruby released her sister's arm and leaned forward again, eyes solely on Blake. "So you're a fan of Ninjas, huh? A-And you... you think I do a good job playing Briar...?"

"Better than good," Blake said immediately. "I mean it's... it's like you _are_ her when you get up there to film. It's incredible." She tried not to gush too much all at once, but just this much seemed to be enough. Ruby blushed again and hid her face in her hands, squealing joyously.

"Waaaah, thank you, thank you!"

"N-No," Blake said. "Thank _you_ for doing Briar justice. From what I can tell, the vast majority of the fandom loves you, and quite frankly the rest are wrong."

"The fandom?" Ruby parroted. "Like online and stuff?"

By this point, Blake was getting too invested in talking about her favorite series now to feel self-conscious.

"Yeah. Everyone loves you and how you play her. You do a fantastic job with all the stunts. Is it true you really like to collect weapons?"

"Sure do!" Ruby grinned. "My dad finds a lot of cool stuff sometimes and we keep it all in a display case in our garage! We've got swords and throwing stars and-"

"Okay, I'm gonna cut it off here," Yang stepped in. "Once she gets going about her weapons she'll never shut up. And I believe we've got a tour to finish."

"Oh yeah!" Ruby jumped up from her seat. "Come on, I'll tell you more as we go!"

And so Weiss and Blake stood and took up pace beside the sisters again, only this time Ruby was yapping a mile a minute to Blake about anything and everything that dealt with Ninjas Of Love. And Blake was beginning to feel confident enough to throw in a comment here and there to stay engaged in the conversation.

Weiss and Yang seemed content to let their charges enjoy themselves in their own way, while the former led their group around town. Yang paid more attention to Weiss as she told her all about the small museum, zoo, and amusement park they passed by, and all of the little shops and restaurants in between.

Ruby however, had stopped being fully invested in the tour a while ago and was now mainly focused on talking to Blake.

"Have you read all the books?"

"Yes. At least a dozen times each."

"Oh, you beat me! I've only read them twice each. What's your favorite part?"

"Definitely when Briar saves the girl she was supposed to assassinate to make a statement."

"Ooohh yeah! Oh my gosh, I'm probably not supposed to tell you, but that's happening at the end of season one! It was one of the last scenes I filmed before coming here!"

"No way! I can't wait to see it."

"Oh, hey! Maybe sometime we can all meet up to watch the new episode or something! That'd be so cool!"

Blake nearly choked on her own air at that.

"Y-Yeah... I mean if you'd want to..."

"Of course! I'd love to watch a new episode with you, Blake!"

And there it was again. Ruby said her name in that high cheerful voice of hers, and Blake felt woozy. Luckily Weiss stepped in just then to draw her back a pace.

"Blake? It seems they've got to get going now."

"Yeah," Yang said. "Dad's expecting us home for dinner, Rubes."

"Huh? It's that late already? Aw man..."

"Don't sweat it, sis! I'm sure we'll be seeing these guys around plenty more. Who else is gonna make you those Strawberry Swirls so well?"

"Blake makes them the best for sure!"

"And Weiss makes the best iced coffees and frappuccinos."

Blake and Weiss both blushed at the praise.

"Well, keep in touch, you two," Weiss managed. "We work every morning except Saturdays."

"Perfect!" Yang clapped. "We usually have mornings free so we'll be swingin' by for sure! And I have your number now, Weiss. Is it cool if I keep it?"

That was the first time Yang had said her name all day, and it turned Weiss into a stammering mess.

"Y-Yes, o-of course..."

"Sweet, thanks!"

With that, Ruby shyly stepped up to Blake.

"Um, Blake? Would it be okay... if I had your number, too? Sorry, if it's weird then don't bother-"

"Of course." Blake instantly pulled out her phone, having Ruby do the same. They exchanged numbers right then and there, with Ruby sending a test message:

 _ **Hi, Blake! It's Ruby!**_

Blake stared at that message for a little too long before frantically confirming she'd received it. At last the sisters wished them farewell for the day.

"Thanks for the tour, you guys!"

"Yeah, thanks! Hopefully we'll see you again tomorrow! And the day after that! And the-"

"Okay, I think they get it, Rubes."

"Oh."

Blake and Weiss managed to wave back, maintaining eye contact until the sisters had crossed the street and disappeared down the road.

There was no bench this time to catch them, so they simply slumped to their knees. Blake's hands went immediately to her face, which was burning. Weiss grabbed her shoulders to support herself and to shake some sense into Blake.

"Deep breaths..." she murmured, but Blake wasn't sure which of them she was coaching. Probably both.

After a minute they both got their bearings and straightened up.

"We did it..." Blake muttered. "We... We..."

"The tour succeeded," Weiss rephrased. "And not only that, but..."

"We learned so much about them. A-And I told Ruby I'm her fan and she was so excited and cute and she gave me her _number_ -"

"-And Yang told me about her work and how good my iced coffees are-"

"-And Ruby likes the Strawberry Swirls I make her-"

"-And they want to meet up again-"

"-And they wanna watch Ninjas Of Love together..."

At last they fell silent, just trying to absorb it all into their systems.

This was real. They'd promoted themselves from baristas to companions in the sister's lives. And they could only go up from here. They had each other's numbers and were going to see each other as often as possible...

Just thinking about the blossoming friendship had Blake's heart doing backflips again.

But she could freak out more about it once she got home. For now she figured they should probably get up off the sidewalk. She helped Weiss to her feet and they gushed about the day all the way home.

When Blake got to her room she threw herself onto the bed, heart pounding in glee, and opened up her phone to re-read Ruby's text.

Her eyes eventually closed on Ruby's name, that four-letter word that would change her life forever.

* * *

 **A/N: They did it, the poor gay saps! How, if at all, will Blake and Weiss be able to get any closer to Ruby and Yang than this?**

 **Please review!**


	6. One Rainy Evening

**As always thanks for the support! I'm so glad everyone is enjoying this fic!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 6. One Rainy Evening

After Blake and Weiss had given the sisters their tour of Vale, the four of them fell into a sort of routine.

Every weekday morning for the rest of the week, Blake and Weiss would clock in for their part-time shifts. Ruby and Yang visited the café just about every day, sometimes earlier and sometimes around lunchtime, depending on Yang's schedule. Though Ruby was finished filming for the time being, Yang still had the occasional photo-shoot to attend here and there, so they worked around that.

Unfortunately, since Blake and Weiss were working, the four of them couldn't exactly spare much time for talk and casual conversations. And being that Yang and Ruby didn't want to invite themselves over to watch this week's new episode of Ninjas Of Love before they knew the baristas well enough, they decided not to impose this Saturday.

Blake and Weiss made a habit of helping one another through their minor mishaps whenever their respective crushes were around.

They'd thought that they'd be able to get ahold of themselves after a few days, but even when Saturday evening rolled around they were both still equally as infatuated as they had been on day one.

* * *

That Saturday evening, Blake scurried into Weiss' foyer, and together they headed up to her room to get ready to watch the new episode. But before that, they naturally got to talking about the sisters.

"So," Weiss began, taking a seat on the couch beside her. "Have you noticed if anyone else in town has recognized Ruby yet? Or do you really think you're the only avid Ninjas fan in Vale?"

"I'm really not sure." Blake twiddled her fingers in her lap. "I haven't really gotten to talk to her much. I might have her number, but I haven't texted her at all since she sent me that first text."

"Likewise," Weiss said. "I haven't been able to muster the courage to message Yang since I sent that text about the tour time several days ago. What about on her social media accounts? Does Ruby ever talk about meeting other fans here?"

"No. Not in person, anyway. She gets tons of attention from the online community, but I don't think anyone else in Vale recognizes her. It's a shame. I don't want her to think she's not as popular as she is."

"Blake, think about this realistically." Weiss put a hand on her shoulder. "Do you really think her family would've moved somewhere where they thought she'd be widely recognized? So she could be swamped by fans and the media day in and day out? Of course not. It's in her best interest to be somewhere where she can lay low and enjoy herself. And besides, does Ruby honestly strike you as the kind of girl to care about popularity?"

It was almost laughable how confident Weiss was in trying to cheer Blake up about Ruby, but when it came to her own crush she was as reclusive as Blake was. Even so, she had a ton of plausible points, and Blake lifted her head.

"Not really. She seems like she's happy just... doing what she loves. Acting and bringing this character to life for people. I feel that Ruby's the kind of girl who would be happy even if she just made one fan smile. One's all she needs."

As she mused to herself, a smile formed on Blake's lips unknowingly. But Weiss didn't miss it.

"And don't you think she's more than fine with _you_ being that one fan here in Vale?"

Blake didn't have anything to say back. She simply mulled it all over, rewinding back to the day she'd first met Ruby in the grocery store. Even though Ruby hadn't recognized her from the café, she'd still been excited to meet a fan. And then to realize later that fan had been her barista, Ruby had been beyond thrilled just to know that anyone recognized her.

Weiss was right. Ruby had probably moved here hoping there wouldn't be a massive fanbase for Ninjas Of Love. But of course she wouldn't have been happy if _no one_ in the entire town knew who she was.

She was overjoyed to be recognized for her role, even if only by one person. Having just one or two secret fans here was the ideal for Ruby, because it meant she wouldn't be swamped, but she wouldn't be a nobody, either.

"Blake!" Weiss' fingers tapped on her shoulder, pulling Blake back into reality.

"Huh?"

"The show is about to start."

"Oh!"

They enjoyed the new episode together. It followed Briar in another one of her missions, before she realized what she was doing wasn't right. Before her turning point, she was a ruthless assassin, highly skilled both with her sword and her tongue.

It was still difficult to get used to for Blake now that she was seeing Ruby on-screen instead of her favorite character. She had to keep reminding herself this wasn't _Ruby_ right now. She'd see Ruby tomorrow, but for tonight it was Briar.

She was quite literally on the edge of her seat throughout the action-packed episode, antsy during the commercials, and then exasperated when it ended off on a cliff-hanger. But she'd read the books and she knew what was going to happen anyway.

Blake slumped back against the couch with a sigh.

"Dang... it was so good though... What'd you think?"

But as she turned to the side, she was surprised to find Weiss slumped back against the cushion, fast asleep. Blake found it a little odd, because Weiss didn't typically fall asleep unless she was in her bed. Blake shook her shoulder gently to rouse her.

"Weiss? Are you okay?"

As her friend shifted and opened her eyes, she nodded.

"Yes, fine. Perhaps I should go to bed."

"Yeah. Need any help?"

"That won't be necessary."

After a moment of stretching, Weiss stood herself up and staggered to her bed. Blake watched her a little worriedly, fearing she was getting sick. Hopefully she could nip it in the bud by getting some rest tonight.

Once Weiss had lain herself down, Blake called a "goodnight" to her and turned off the TV, then the only remaining lamp. She opted not to go through the trouble of opening the sofa up into a bed and making all that noise, so she simply curled up on the cushions and pulled some blankets over herself.

In just a few hours she'd get to see Ruby again. She couldn't wait to talk to her about the new episode and a lot of other things.

* * *

When she woke the next morning, Blake discovered her hunch from last night had been justified.

Weiss was coughing miserably in her bed, barely able to push herself up. But long before she could even hope to make a move to slip her legs over the edge, Blake was sitting beside her and coaxing her back down.

"Oh, no you don't. You're not going in today."

"Blake, please. If I don't go with you, you'll end up dropping every drink you handle after Ruby walks in."

"And if you _do_ go in, that'll make two of us dropping everything we touch. You've gotta rest. I'll see if Velvet can come in a bit earlier to cover for the second half of your shift."

Weiss heaved a sigh of prideful defeat.

"Very well... Give my regards to those two when they come in."

"You know I will."

Blake left her with a soothing hug before she went to get changed into the extra clothes she'd brought with her last night. On her way down to the kitchen she found Winter and told her of Weiss' cold. The older girl immediately went up to Weiss' room. Blake smiled, relieved to know she'd take care of her today.

She made herself a piece of toast and happily ate a muffin Whitely offered to her before heading outside.

It was another bright day, and she actually had to wonder if it was ever going to rain this season. It felt odd walking without Weiss. This was the first time since they'd started working at the café that Blake had gone alone. Instead of talking aloud she just kept her thoughts to herself.

When she got there, she sent Velvet a text, relieved when the other girl confirmed she could come in early to help her out.

Blake clocked in first and began tending to the customers, subtly checking through the glass doors before anyone entered to see if she could catch a glimpse of strawberry-patterned stockings or garish orange shorts.

But Ruby and Yang didn't come in early. In fact, Velvet arrived first, which meant Blake's shift was already half over. Even so she was glad to have the help, promising Velvet she'd send her regards to Weiss.

Blake checked the time and realized she was going to be clocking out in thirty minutes, and yet still no sign of Ruby or Yang.

 _Guess Yang had a shoot today. Darn... I'd really wanted to discuss the new episode with Ruby..._

She hadn't tagged Ruby in any social media posts last night about her enjoyment of the new episode nor had she texted her. Blake wanted to start telling her face to face.

She was musing to herself as she handed out another drink, her confidence gradually building just at the thought of getting to talk to Ruby again.

And then the universe decided to throw a rainstorm in her face.

The sky darkened seemingly without warning and pouring rain came hissing down. A lot of the last customers she served that day were stragglers coming in for shelter and a warm cup of coffee.

Blake groaned as she realized the rain wasn't planning to slow down anytime soon. She hadn't expected it, so of course she hadn't brought an umbrella.

Starting off with Weiss being sick, and then Ruby not coming in, and now rain, today just wasn't her day.

Velvet timidly tapped Blake's shoulder and informed her her shift was over.

"Unless you'd want to stay until closing and hitch a ride home with Coco and I. She'll be driving, so at least you won't have to get so wet."

But as Blake hung up her apron she sighed.

"No, it's okay. I should get back and check on Weiss."

"Are you sure? You don't even have a sweatshirt, Blake."

"I know. But I'll make due somehow."

"Then you'll catch cold as well, and then Coco and I will be running the whole café!"

"I won't get sick. Promise."

Blake smiled and said as much. But as she turned back to face the downpour outside she grimaced. Inhaling sharply, she began making her way for the doors.

And then her saving grace.

Just like any hero, Ruby came scurrying through the doors at the last second, huddled beneath an red-and-white polka dotted umbrella. Unlike Blake, she was appropriately dressed for the weather with leggings, a skirt, and a sweatshirt. She and Blake nearly crashed into each other, but Blake jumped back before the impact.

"Whoa!" Ruby squeaked. "S-Sorry, I was just- Blake?" As she looked up, a smile bloomed across her face. "Oh, I'm so glad I caught you before you left! Yang had something to do today so we weren't gonna come, but I really wanted to see you so I came on my own!"

Blake was still trying to register everything past the shock.

"You... wanted to see _me_...?"

"Yeah! I wanted to talk to you about the new episode and stuff! But if you're leaving we can do it some other time!"

Blake instantly took a step back into the warm café.

"N-No. I mean my shift is over but I don't have to leave right away."

"Really? Great! Lemme just order some hot cocoa. Wanna grab us a table?"

"Uh, s-sure..."

Blake moved almost robotically now that she'd been given a task, locating an empty table in one of the corners. She claimed a seat for herself and left the other open, watching as Ruby folded her umbrella and bounded up to Velvet to place her order.

As Blake began to calm down from the surprise of it all, she was a little grateful Ruby was ordering hot chocolate today. Blake felt admittedly jealous at the idea of anyone else preparing her a Strawberry Swirl.

But now, Blake was faced with her next dilemma. Weiss wasn't here and neither was Yang.

It was just them. Alone.

 _Oh god..._

"I'm back!" Ruby's chirp of a voice snapped Blake from her thoughts as the brunette took her seat across from her. She warmed her hands around the styrofoam cup with a hum before taking a sip and squealing. "Mmm, it's so yummy! Nice to have some cold summer days sometimes so we can enjoy the warm drinks, don't ya think?"

"Y-Yeah..." Despite her lackluster conversational skills, Blake felt a smile coming on. She just needed to be herself. Hopefully she could manage that much without panicking. "So... last night's episode was so great. I loved it."

"Ohh, you did~? I'm so glad! I remember filming that one fight scene because I lost my grip once and just totally dropped the prop sword!" She sent herself into a fit of giggles, and Blake felt as though her heart was going to burst.

When Ruby collected herself again, she lowered her voice a bit. "It's nice to have someone to talk to about Ninjas Of Love! You're the only fan I know of in Vale, so it's kinda like we have our own little secret! Like _we're_ the ninjas!"

She went off giggling again, and Blake could only muster a smile. She didn't trust herself enough to speak without stammering like an idiot yet.

So she let Ruby carry the conversation for a while, which the brunette seemed very happy to do. She talked in a hushed voice about her career and how she'd landed it.

"I tried out for the part of a background character, actually. But the producer said he thought I'd make a great Briar! So even though it was my first time acting, everyone helped me out a lot so I'd be more natural on-screen.

"They said they really liked how I played her, so I talked to my dad and sister about it. We all gotta kinda travel a bit for our jobs, but it just all happened to work out in the end.

"So after filming season one, we moved to Vale for my dad's work! I'm gonna go to the high school here when the summer ends, and when we have to start filming for season 2, I just fly back to wherever they need me to film, then fly back here!"

Blake nodded, getting lost more so in Ruby's voice than what she was actually saying. Her comment about eventually going to school in Vale went entirely over Blake's head.

"So do you guys like it here in Vale?"

"Totally! My dad's got a ton of friends at his workplace, and Yang's made a lot of friends modeling too! And I know I'm gonna have a great time here if I've got you to help me!"

Blake had to reach for a napkin and pretend to blow her nose just to cover up her blush.

"That... That means a lot. Thanks, Ruby."

"Sure! So, how caught up are you with Ninjas?"

"All the way."

"Okay good, so I don't have to worry about spoilers!"

"Definitely not."

Blake got more engaged as they started discussing her favorite book series now. She gradually started to talk more than she stayed silent. It felt nice to have someone to rant about her obsession with. Of course she had Weiss, but there was something more engaging about talking with someone who'd been a fan as long as you have, rather than someone who's just gotten into it.

Somewhere along the lines, Blake forgot about her nervousness for a while and simply chatted comfortably with Ruby as the brunette finished off her hot cocoa.

The rain was still hissing outside by the time they said all they could say. Ruby leaned back with a grin and a hum.

"I'm so glad I can talk to you about Ninjas in person like this! My sister is only halfway through reading the series so I can't discuss a lot with her."

"Same here. It's great to talk to you about it. Especially since you're Briar."

"Heehee, yep! I'm still so glad you like me as her! A lot of people online do, too!"

Blake wondered if now would be a good time to tell Ruby she'd followed her social media accounts. She'd been hesitant to bring it up because it might've sounded invasive, but now that they were getting more acquainted with one another, Blake thought it was only right to tell her the truth.

But before she could muster up the courage to speak again, Ruby beat her to it.

"Oh! I'm gonna have to be home soon. I should get going." She stood up and took her cup to the trash can before returning to the table for her umbrella. She looked over Blake curiously when she noticed she wasn't getting up, too. "Are you gonna walk home with Weiss again?"

Blake shook her head.

"No. Weiss is sick today. I think I'm just gonna stay here and wait the storm out after all. It's gotta almost be over by now..."

"What? Weiss is sick? That stinks! I'm gonna tell Yang to text her." Ruby pulled out her phone and swiped a quick message. Blake had to swallow back a chuckle, imagining Weiss' reaction to waking up to a text message from Yang.

As soon as Ruby was finished with her message she reached her hand out toward Blake.

"Come on!"

And Blake stared, dumbfounded.

"Huh?"

"You don't have an umbrella or someone else who does, so I'll just walk home with you, Blake!"

Blake blinked, trying to process her words. Then she remembered Ruby had said she needed to be home soon, and if she'd be going out of her way to walk Blake back as well...

"O-Okay."

Shakily, Blake got to her feet, nearly stumbled over her chair as she pushed it in, and then staggered over to her. Ruby led her to the doors and opened her umbrella before pushing outside.

"Stay close!"

She ran a few feet out into the rain and held up the umbrella to shield herself, then quickly turned back to make sure she covered Blake as well.

Blake had to duck down a little due to her height and the height at which Ruby could hold the umbrella, but she'd rather bend a little than get drenched.

But of course, sharing an umbrella meant standing in close proximity to the other person. She bumped shoulders with Ruby and nearly forgot how to breathe-

"Which way?"

"Huh?"

"Your house!" Ruby grinned. "Which way do we go?"

Blake shook herself out of her trance and nodded in the correct direction.

"This way..."

"All right, got it! You lead the way and I'll keep us dry!"

Blake nodded and set a brisk pace across the sidewalk, avoiding all the puddles and potholes whenever they had to cross a road. Ruby scampered right beside her with the umbrella at an expert angle to protect them both.

Blake felt like she was flying instead of walking. When the wind blew at her and got her a bit wet, she hardly even felt it. It was like a dream.

She didn't say much else other than a mumble of the direction as they entered her neighborhood. Ruby dutifully held the umbrella and stuck close enough to provide a bit of much-appreciated warmth.

They passed Weiss' house, and Blake felt she herself was getting her just dessert now for thinking taunting things about Yang texting the sick girl earlier.

"Almost there," she muttered.

She led Ruby onto another sidewalk, but a small scuff of shoes caught her attention. Ruby squeaked and nearly stumbled, but Blake lashed out to grab her by both arms and haul her back to her feet.

"You okay?"

"Yeah! Nice catch!"

And only then did Blake realize she was holding her up by the underarms. She quickly let go.

"I-It's that house," she wheezed. "This is far enough. You should get home. Will you be okay by yourself?"

"Yeah! Yang's gonna come pick me up in her car. We like to walk around here, but she does have one!"

"All right. Well, um... thanks for walking me back, Ruby. I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it! It's what friends do!"

This time it was Blake who almost stumbled.

"Yeah..."

She gave a shy wave, which Ruby reflected with ten times the enthusiasm. Blake turned away and ran from the shelter of the umbrella to her door, fumbled for the key, and stepped inside. She quickly ran to the nearest window to keep an eye on Ruby.

But it was only moments later when a garish yellow Porche with a black stripe down the middle and vanity plate BMBL-BEE drove up. Ruby closed her umbrella and jumped inside before they drove off.

Blake staggered to her couch and collapsed, burying her giddy smile into a pillow.

* * *

 **A/N: Probably the most stressful but best day of Blake's life to date.**

 **Please review!**


	7. A Little Closer

**Thank you as always to everyone who is reading, and especially those leaving kind reviews!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 7. A Little Closer

Blake lay there on her couch for a little while simply relishing the gleeful feeling dancing around in her chest.

She kept replaying her conversations with Ruby in her mind, chiding herself for the times she'd said stupid things and praising herself for the times she'd actually sounded intelligible.

But no matter how embarrassed Blake felt about herself, Ruby had never seemed to mind any of her comments. She was just such a happy person in general, and she was overjoyed to finally have someone like Blake to rant about her obsession with freely.

And then there'd been the walk back here together, how they'd brushed shoulders or bumped into each others' sides under the umbrella, how Ruby had tripped and Blake had caught her...

She quickly pushed herself up and shook her head, realizing she was acting like a child with these infatuations. Blake briskly got up from the couch and found her parents chatting in the kitchen. After the usual greeting, Blake talked about her day in minor detail.

"I waited inside for a bit after my shift was over because of the rain."

"Oh," her mother fretted. "I'm so sorry neither of us could drive you home, dear." She skirted the table and kissed Blake's head. Blake shrugged.

"It's all right. I got someone to walk me home."

"Ah, yes," her father grinned. "I'm sure Weiss was well-prepared with an umbrella."

"Actually," Blake said. "Weiss was sick today. She didn't go in. A... A new friend walked me home."

"Oh? A new friend, eh? I thought by now you would've known and been friends with everyone you were going to friends with in Vale."

"Her family just moved here," Blake explained. But she didn't want to give away too much information about who Ruby was. Her parents seemed satisfied with that much and didn't question her further.

"Well in any case," her mother said. "Be sure to thank her the next time you see her, and give Weiss a call, too."

"I will, mom."

They had dinner together, and all throughout the meal Blake was feeling excited again. She'd never mentioned Ruby to her parents before, but their candid acceptance of her even without meeting her relieved Blake.

After she'd finished cleaning her dishes, she gave each of her parents a hug and a kiss before retreating to her room.

She logged onto her social media accounts and played around for a bit before ultimately ending up on Ruby's page once again. She'd only made one post today that read:

 ** _"Even rainy days can be fun if you let them!"_**

Blake's lips curled up when she read it over. Part of herself wanted to believe Ruby had typed that in reference to her time spent with Blake, but another part felt it was too self-indulgent to believe that.

Nonetheless, Blake liked the post to show her support, even if Ruby still didn't know who she was online. She'd been planning on telling her today, just in case Ruby found it weird or wanted Blake to stop, but one way or another Blake had missed her chance to say it. Hopefully she'd have many more opportunities in the future.

She was just stretching out and settling into a relaxed position when her cell phone went off and scared her out of her wits. Blake scrambled to fish it from her pocket and swipe the screen. There was a flustered text from Weiss:

 _ **Blake! Did you tell Yang to text me? She just texted me and it nearly gave me a heart-attack!**_

Blake smirked. She'd been planning on texting Weiss a little later, but she supposed now was fine too.

 _ **I didn't tell Yang to do anything. Ruby was at the café today and I told her you were sick. She's the one who insisted Yang should text you and see how you were doing. Which, I'm guessing you're doing better now that she texted you, right?**_

Blake only got to have her fun teasing Weiss for a moment before it was sent right back at her.

 _ **Quiet! I'll bet you had quite the day with Ruby then, right? Did you run all the way home alone in the rain or what? Tell me all about it, Belladonna.**_

Blake grimaced and gave in, then texted out to Weiss in minor detail that she and Ruby had merely talked for a while and then walked back to her house together. Weiss took her fair share of jabs at Blake for that before both of them came to a silent truce.

In terms of getting to communicate more with their respective crushes, today had been a fairly successful day.

Blake ended the conversation by wishing Weiss well and closing her phone to get ready for bed.

As she lie there, she just kept reliving the memories of the walk home in the rain with Ruby until she fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning she texted Weiss, who said she felt mostly better, but Winter was insisting she stay home another day just to be certain.

Blake made sure to check the weather forecast this time to ensure it wasn't going to rain before she set out for the morning walk to the café. She arrived to find that Coco was there to take over Weiss' shift today, and together they set to work.

Blake liked to think she would've been able to act somewhat normally today when Ruby walked in.

But because of what had happened yesterday beneath that umbrella – which, in retrospect, wasn't really much, but to her mind it was monumental – she ended up freezing the second the sisters walked in today. The duty of greeting them was left to Coco.

"Hey there! You two are becoming regulars, huh? That's what we like to see. So what can we get for ya?"

Blake had to admit she was a little impressed and a little envious of Coco for being able to converse with them so naturally. Blake and Weiss would stumble through words with minimal amounts of confidence at best.

 _But I guess that's because she doesn't have a crush on either of them..._

"Hey there!" Yang greeted them back with a nod instead of a wave, because both of her hands were occupied by shopping bags. Blake couldn't be entirely sure, but she thought the blonde looked a little disappointed at the fact that Weiss wasn't here. "I'm gonna try today's special."

"And I'm just gonna have the usual!" Ruby piped. "Hehee, it makes me sound so official to say that!"

Blake forgot her nervousness long enough to smile.

"One Strawberry Swirl Summer Special coming right up."

She and Coco turned around to prepare the drinks. Blake was contentedly filling Ruby's cup from the machines when Coco slid in next to her.

"So tell me. Who's got the hots for who? You got eyes on the blonde, or is she Weiss'?"

Blake sputtered and almost dropped Ruby's cup.

"Th-That's not-"

"Oh, so you're for the little sister, huh? I never knew you had it in you, Blake." She smirked, and from beneath her shades Blake could see her eyes were dancing with teasing mischief. "Lemme know how things go, though knowing you and Weiss I wouldn't be surprised if those sisters had to make their moves first."

With that she left Blake at the machines and went to ring their customers up.

Blake was so dumbfounded she nearly stood there at the machine until Ruby's cup overflowed and she had to quickly grab a napkin to dab away the excess.

 _Wh-What did she mean it might be up to Ruby and Yang to make the first moves? They wouldn't have to make any moves unless they... unless they liked us too-_

"Blake, hunny," Coco called. "You finished with that drink yet?"

"S-Sorry!" She put a lid on Ruby's drink and hurried to the register to hand it off to her. Ruby grinned back and when she reached out to take it her fingers touched Blake's.

"Thanks! I'm glad you didn't get sick from the rain yesterday, too."

"That's... only thanks to you," Blake mumbled.

"Speaking of sick people..." Yang cleared her throat to cut in. "I was thinking maybe, if it's cool with you Blake, after your shift you could walk Ruby and I to Weiss' place? Maybe it wasn't my place, but I kinda went and bought her a little get-well gift." She smiled and lifted her arms a bit to indicated the shopping bags.

If Blake had whiskers she knew she would've felt them twitch in amusement when she imagined the look on Weiss' face if she showed up at her house today with a gift-giving Yang at her side.

"That sounds like a great idea. I'm off in another hour."

"Perfect! Ruby and I will chill here until then."

With that, the two of them turned and headed off to get a table. Blake was left staring at their backs for a moment until she felt a poke in her side and jolted.

"Sooo~" Coco hummed. "It's fine if you tease Schnee and bring her crush straight to her doorstep, but I'm not allowed to poke fun at you, huh? Hypocrite."

"Shut up." Blake swatted her hand away playfully and Coco snorted.

"You two are too cute, Belladonna."

Blake somehow made it through her final hour of work for the day, which was of course interspersed with catching glances and waves and smiles from Ruby, and then getting a snicker or smirk from Coco every time.

When her shift was over and Velvet walked in to take her place, Blake quickly pulled off her apron, hung it up, and clocked out all within the course of thirty seconds.

"Bye, Velvet," she said, pointedly not mentioning Coco for all the teasing she'd put her through.

"Goodbye, Blake! Have a lovely afternoon!"

"Good luck."

"Oh, she will," Coco looked from Velvet to Blake. "And it's _us_ who should be wishing _you_ good luck, Belladonna."

She finished with a wink, and Blake whirled around and ran to the other side of the counter before she could be subjected to more teasing.

Ruby and Yang had finished their drinks a while ago and had spent the remainder of the hour chatting and playing games on their phones. When Blake approached them they both perked up and got to their feet.

"Oh boy!" Ruby sang. "Time for Operation Gift-Giving!"

"It's just a little thing," Yang reminded her before turning to Blake for instruction. "All right, please lead the way."

"Sure."

Blake headed out the doors, holding them open from Ruby and Yang as they passed. She guided them on their ten-minute walk to Weiss' house.

And ten minutes had never felt quite so long before.

Yesterday at least she and Ruby had been moving a bit quickly in the rain, but today they were all set at a saunter, compensating for the bags Yang had on her arms.

Briefly, Blake wondered if she should shoot Weiss a warning text or at least a hint of what was about to happen, but she ultimately decided against it. She wanted to see the look of utter shock on Weiss' face.

But for now during their walk there, Blake was internally debating what to do. She wanted to strike up a conversation, particularly with Ruby, but she wasn't sure if she could do that with Yang there. She didn't want to say anything stupid in front of her crush's big sister. It'd almost be as bad as saying something stupid in front of her father.

So Blake held her tongue and stuck to the minimum of phrases such as "this way" or "watch your step on the curb here."

But luckily for her, Ruby was chatty by nature and provided Blake with plenty of questions she could respond to.

"Whoa, the neighborhood is so much nicer when it's not all rainy and gray! What kind of flowers are those?"

"Petunias. And those are honeysuckle. The neighborhood smells like this for half the year at least."

"Oooh, I love it! I think we had some of those near our set! I remember that smell! Oh! Is that a bird's nest up there?"

"Yeah. I think it's a robin's."

"Aww so cute!"

With Ruby leading the conversation, Blake easily fell into step beside her. While Ruby followed her lead physically, Blake followed hers verbally.

She was also extremely thankful for the fact that Yang kept back a few paces. If anything, she was giving them space – either because she knew what was kindling between them, or because she was keeping a watchful eye on Blake – but either way Blake greatly appreciated the breathing room.

With Ruby to talk with so freely now, Blake almost got lost in the conversation and walked right past Weiss' house. She had to timidly pause the procession and ease them back a few paces.

"Here," she said, nodding to the small mansion. "I always come to her house to watch the new episodes of Ninjas."

"Ohhh that's so neat! Weiss is a good friend, huh?"

"Yeah," Blake smiled. "A really good friend." _Which is why I'm giving her this gift._

Inclining her head, Blake led Ruby and Yang up the sidewalk to the front door, which was where she had them pause. Blake took out her phone and sent Weiss a quick text that wouldn't give anything away, but would ensure that she came to answer the door herself.

 _ **Weiss, I need to drop something off really quickly. Could you come get the door for me, please?**_

She sent the message, then nodded to the sisters. They waited for a moment or so before Blake heard movement from inside, the scuffling of feet heading for the door before the lock clicked.

"Honestly, Blake. What could you possibly be dropping off-"

But the second Weiss laid eyes upon her unexpected visitors, she fell dead silent.

Yang stepped forward with a huge grin.

"Hey there, Weiss! Sorry to intrude, but Ruby and I just wanted to swing by and give you a little get-well present, y'know?" She reached into one of the shopping bags and pulled out a small wrapped box.

Weiss was still in too much shock to comprehend everything right away, so she only stared with her mouth agape.

Blake had to keep herself from chuckling out loud. It was a bit of payback for Weiss teasing her about being alone with Ruby yesterday. Though throwing _this_ level of surprise at a sick girl might've been a bit mean. Blake decided to grunt in order to snap Weiss out of her trance. She shakily reached forward and accepted Yang's present.

"Y-Yang, Ruby... th-thank you. You didn't have to-"

"But we wanted to!" Yang said. "The café's not the same without you."

"Yeah!" Ruby chimed in. "Hope you feel better soon, Weiss!"

"I... I..."

"Well, we don't wanna overstay our welcome," Yang said. "Let's get goin', sis."

"Kay. See you guys tomorrow!"

The pair turned and began heading down the stairs. Blake called after them.

"Do you know how to get back from here?"

"Yeah, no sweat! Thanks again for showin' us the way."

"Thanks, Blake! Bye bye!" Ruby gave a happy little wave before she scampered off after her sister.

Blake and Weiss both watched them go in silence. But ultimately, Weiss was the first one to get her senses back.

" _Blake_." Her voice was low, somewhere between a growl and a whimper. "What... on _earth_ were you thinking? To bring her here-"

"Oh shoot, I think I have to get going."

"Oh no you don't, Belladonna!" Still cradling Yang's present in one arm, Weiss reached out with her free hand to grab her friend's shirt. "You're not going anywhere! Explain-"

"Weiss?" Winter's voice sounded from behind her just as she appeared. "What's going on? Who were those girls?" The second she noticed the gift in her younger sister's hands, Winter raised an eyebrow. "Did they give that to you?"

"Winter! Well, you see..."

"Weiss, you told me you were getting better, but your face is red. If you're running another fever I'll have you take the rest of the week off."

"That's not it! Honest!"

In her haste to pacify her older sister's concerns, Weiss released Blake. No doubt Winter was going to ask all about Ruby and Yang now, and Weiss would have no choice but to spill the beans about her crush.

Blake felt a little guilty for putting her through that, but in the end it'd be better for Weiss to have another ally, especially in Winter.

So with a tiny mumbled apology, Blake stepped down the stairs and jogged out of range of Schnee property. She'd be sure to text Weiss later if Weiss didn't frantically call her first.

As she walked back home, Blake had a bit of a spring in her step. She'd talked a bit more with Ruby today, and though she would've felt more at ease if Yang hadn't been there too, it was still progress.

Blake knew in time she'd find a way to be alone with Ruby again so she could explain that she followed her on social media and was a bit bigger of a fan that she'd initially let on. There was still so much she wanted to talk to her about, but it wasn't so much about Ninjas Of Love anymore. They'd gotten the opportunity to discuss that several times now, and as much as Blake enjoyed it, there was more to their relationship than just that.

Ninjas Of Love had brought them together, but it only brushed the surface of who they were. Blake wanted to know about _Ruby_ now, more than just her favorite drink or her casual weapon collection.

Blake wasn't sure how to go about getting to that more personal level with her, but inching ever closer by the day seemed like a plausible method. This sort of thing was almost starting to feel natural now, walking around town with Ruby and Yang, getting to chat with them, showing them hers and Weiss' houses...

They were all getting closer and closer by the day, and Blake was both nervous and excited to see how much closer they could become.

* * *

 **A/N: The Blake/Ruby scenes were very casual and light this chapter, but I promise they are getting their big moments of focus coming up! Stay tuned!**

 **Please review!**


	8. Comforting Words

**This chapter you'll finally be getting a good amount of Ladybug (since this is a Ladybug fic). But I feel they're a very gradual budding relationship in any AU, so I like to take my time with them.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 8. Comforting Words

Weiss was completely better the next day, and the instant Blake arrived at her house to begin walking with her to work, the white-haired girl started hounding her.

"How could you do that to me? Bringing them here without warning me... and in front of Winter! Blake Belladonna you are unbelievable!"

And Blake chuckled and apologized half-heartedly.

"Sorry. They insisted, so how could I refuse? Besides, I knew you'd be at least a little bit happy about it."

To this Weiss turned pink, looked away, and mumbled something under her breath.

As they proceeded to the café Blake managed to get some details out of Weiss, like how Winter had guessed and already knew her little sister was crushing on the blonde model.

"Well that's good," Blake said. "Now that Winter's on your side you have someone to talk to about it at home when I'm not with you."

"I suppose so..."

"And... I mean if it makes you feel any better, Coco knows how I feel about Ruby. But that being said she also probably knows about you and Yang."

"Coco?" Weiss groaned. "Oh, wonderful. We'll never hear the end of her teasing..."

They got to the CFVY Shoppe and began their shift as always, and Blake had to admit she felt immensely better now that Weiss was back at her side.

It was a few hours before Ruby and Yang came in, but as soon as they did Weiss and Blake stiffened up. It wasn't as bad as it used to be, but they were both still fairly nervous and shy around the sisters.

But the second the pair saw that Weiss was back, they were all smiles.

"Hey!" Yang grinned. "Good to see you back here, Weiss! Didja like the gift?"

"Y-Yes! Thank you very much. I'd meant to buy you a proper thank-you card-"

"Aw geez you don't have to go that far! I'm just glad you're feelin' better. That's all the thanks I need." Yang said this so smoothly it was as if she'd read a line from a script.

But Blake had to let Weiss fend for herself for the time being because Ruby was scampering right up to her.

"Hi, Blake! Are you excited for this Saturday's new Ninjas?"

"I sure am."

Ruby smiled and shuffled her feet a bit.

"Um... I don't wanna impose or anything, but do you think it'd be possible if maybe we... like, we could all get together and watch it? You guys could come to our place!"

"Uh, hold up there, Rubes," Yang cut in. "Dad's got people coming over this weekend, remember?"

"Oh yeah..."

By now, Weiss had mostly recovered.

"I-I would offer to host, however I fear it's too short notice this week. Though I can definitely guarantee next week would be open."

"Really?" Both sisters piped up at the same time as wide grins spread across their faces. Weiss could only nod.

"That'd be awesome!" Yang said.

"Okay! Next week then! That's gonna be so much _fun!_ " Ruby cheered to herself before turning back to Blake. "Next week's episode is gonna be a good one for sure! Well I mean, this week's is okay too, but I'm not really allowed to give away any more details than that. But either way it'd _definitely_ be better to watch next week's with friends!"

Blake was still getting accustomed to that word. Friends.

"I'm looking forward to it," she smiled.

After that there was a beat of silence as the world shifted back into place. Blake nearly forgot how to swallow for a second before she snapped out of it.

"S-So, um... the usual, then?"

"Y-Yeah! I'll have the usual! Heh, it's so cool to say that."

Yang placed her order as well, and then the baristas got to making the drinks.

Blake moved with surprising speed and accuracy while making the Strawberry Swirl this time around. The idea of getting to watch her favorite show based off her favorite book series with her favorite actress _herself_ was mind-blowing to her. It was almost incomprehensible.

Sometimes it was easy to forget that she had the privilege of knowing her favorite actress in real life, as a customer, as a _friend_. She even had her phone number...

"Blake!"

Weiss' grunt made her realize she was mentally wandering once again, as she often did when it came to Ruby. Blake straightened up and got to work, trying not to let the excitement of next weekend's plans get to her head more than it already was.

The sisters paid for their drinks and chose a place to sit while the baristas got to serving the next wave of customers. Quite a crowd came in after that, and by the time it had died down Ruby and Yang had left.

Blake felt her heart sink a little bit. She'd wanted to say goodbye...

Just then her phone buzzed inside her apron pocket. Evidently Weiss' did as well because they both fished them out. They'd each received texts from Ruby and Yang respectively, which were essentially the same.

Blake read over the message from Ruby without breathing.

 _ **Sorry we had to run! The place was crowded so we didn't wanna disturb you! Bye bye for today and see you tomorrow!**_

Blake had almost forgotten she'd given Ruby her number since they'd rarely exchanged messages since then. But now Blake mustered up the courage to type a quick reply back.

 _ **It's okay! Thank you so much, and see you tomorrow!**_

She checked and re-checked it several times to make sure she hadn't mis-spelled anything before sending it. It gave her a bit of a rush to realize she was texting Ruby Rose. It was much more invigorating than liking one of her social media posts almost anonymously, since Ruby didn't know her by username there.

She and Weiss finished their shift and already began making plans for next weekend. Blake was planning to buy snacks while Weiss was debating how to arrange the furniture.

When they parted it was with a hug, hearts full of excitement.

* * *

The rest of the week passed by in the manner that was becoming normal for Blake with Ruby and Yang coming in at some point during hers and Weiss' shift. They'd chat for as long as they could before more customers came in, but they always got at least a few solid minutes together to talk.

Blake still didn't have a reason or the courage to text Ruby first, and Ruby didn't text her anymore either.

Evidently Weiss and Yang texted one another somewhat regularly now, even if it was just one message a day, and Blake was both happy for and envious of her best friend for that.

When Saturday came, Blake used her day off to play around online and browse Ruby's accounts as usual. She was posting about her excitement for tonight's new episode as usual and raking up the likes and comments. Blake was sure to like her post as well and even gathered up the guts to reply to Ruby's post in a comment:

 ** _"I'm so excited for tonight's episode of #NinjasOfLove as always!"_**

It was just something simple to show her support, yet nothing that would make Ruby feel pressured to respond.

When it was evening, Blake packed some pajamas to sleep over at Weiss' and headed over.

Blake knew already that tonight's episode was going to be a tear-jerker. Briar was going to be assigned to assassinate someone she'd later find out to be innocent, which was a major turning point for her character and therefore it was very important.

Blake made herself comfortable on Weiss' couch as the episode began and made sure not to give anything away.

Ruby looked perfect as Briar as always. Blake knew for a fact now that her voice was naturally much higher-pitched, but when she was acting Ruby typically spoke in a lower, more serious tone.

Blake liveblogged the episode and reacted to other people's reactions, but nothing was more priceless than seeing Weiss' for herself. When the reveal was made, Weiss mumbled an "oh no..." and put a hand to her chest, and even though Blake had been expecting it she was still a little emotional as well.

Ruby expressed so much anguish and regret and she did it so perfectly. Blake could almost feel her pain with how miserably she cried.

The episode ended on a shot of Briar curled up on the ground sobbing before cutting to black. It was really impactful, and for a moment afterward neither Blake nor Weiss said a thing. But when she was finally able to talk, Blake ended up smiling a bit.

"So? What did you think?"

Weiss was astonished.

"You _knew_ that was going to happen and you didn't _warn_ me?"

"Of course not. That'd take away from the fun of seeing your reaction."

"Well it was certainly ruthless. But I suppose that's the point. I need a glass of water."

As Weiss went to refresh herself and take it all in, Blake pulled out her phone to check social media. #NinjasOfLove was trending like crazy and people were saying all sorts of things. There was a lot of outrage at what Briar had done but a lot of praise for Ruby's acting as well.

Blake added her own thoughts into a post where she actually felt gutsy enough to finally tag Ruby for the first time.

 _RubyRose did an amazing job as always! This was straight from the books and it was perfect!_

She posted it and was shocked when Ruby liked her post almost immediately afterward. Of course she didn't know it was Blake, but it still made her heart flutter anyway.

This also meant Ruby was actively online checking everyone's reactions to the episodes live _._

But unlike all the other thousands of fans, only Blake had another, more personal way of contacting Ruby.

She swiped over to her messaging screen and typed out a text to her; her first time ever texting Ruby first, but she was too excited to be nervous about it.

 _ **Tonight's episode was so great! You were really awesome!**_

And to her delight Ruby texted back within a minute.

 _ **Thanks, Blake! Glad you liked it! See you tomorrow!**_

So Blake and Weiss got ready for bed, thinking tomorrow would be just like any other Sunday.

* * *

Little did Blake know she'd go in to work that morning with Weiss expecting to see Ruby and Yang at some point, only to not have them show up at the usual time.

Yang hadn't texted Weiss to tell her she had a photoshoot or anything like that, and when Blake and Weiss sent out texts asking if they'd be coming today, neither of the sisters answered.

Blake was quick to get nervous, though Weiss realistically reassured her that the sisters were probably very busy or had a good explanation for not responding.

Blake used her phone to check Ruby's social media accounts but found she hadn't posted anything there this morning.

"Anything?" Weiss inquired.

"No. plenty of other people made posts and tagged her, but nothing from Ruby herself..." Blake bit her bottom lip and put away her phone.

Their shift ended soon after that, and that's when Blake's phone went off. She quickly checked to see a message from Ruby.

 _ **Hey, um sorry we didn't come by today. I got a lot of bad comments last night so I don't really feel like going out...**_

Blake's eyes went wide at the message. She went back to check Ruby's page and actually read the posts this time.

Alongside the people who were praising Ruby for her performance and praising the episode in general, there was quite a number who were saying things like "This sucks! Ruby Rose why would you do that?!" and "You're the worst!"

Blake felt a boiling rage in her stomach.

 _What the hell? Don't these people realize this is a show? And that Ruby didn't actually kill anyone? She's an actress for goodness' sake!_

Rather angrily, Blake typed back a message to Ruby, though its contents were quite the opposite.

 _ **Hey, don't listen to people like that. They don't know what they're talking about. They aren't smart enough to know it's a TV show and no one actually killed anyone.**_

She sent her message and then briefly explained the situation to Weiss, who was appalled.

"What? People are actually like that? Imbeciles."

"Tell me about it. Ruby doesn't even wanna come out of her house today because she's so upset."

"She's very sensitive," Weiss observed. "This is probably her first time getting such a negative reaction from the fans. She hasn't learned how to handle it yet."

"That's not her fault," Blake growled. "Why are people being so stupid?"

"Easy." Weiss put a hand on Blake's arm soothingly. "Why don't you see if Ruby will let you go see her? I'm sure that will make her feel much better."

"...You really think so?"

"Blake, I _know_ so. Shall I ask Yang for their address?"

"H-Hold on. Let me ask Ruby if she'd want me to go see her."

Despite her anger at the fanbase, Blake's fingers trembled with nervousness as she typed another message to Ruby.

 _ **Would it be okay if we met up? I'll take you somewhere and you can vent to me.**_

She sent and waited. And then:

 _ **Really? I think that would be really nice. Thanks Blake.**_

And so Weiss asked Yang for their house address, explained why they needed it, and then gave it to Blake. Yang seemed relieved that Blake would be coming over to help comfort her little sister.

"It seems Yang's been trying to cheer her up all day," Weiss said. "But Ruby just won't accept it."

"I hope I can help..." Blake mumbled. "If Yang can't help her, then how could I?"

"Blake." Weiss pulled her aside and gave her a firm pat on the shoulder. "There's a difference between being comforted by your big sister and being comforted by your crush."

"Wh-? S-She doesn't like my that way! D-Does she?"

"I'd be shocked if not. But in either case you're a good friend of hers now, Blake. She needs you."

Blake swallowed audibly.

"Right. Thanks, Weiss."

After confirming that Blake knew how to get to the sisters' house, Weiss wished her luck and they headed off from the café in opposite directions.

Blake started running before long, eager to see Ruby as soon as possible. When she found the house matching the address, she was a little surprised. It was an average-sized place, one that certainly didn't seem like it would be supporting a family that brought in three decent incomes. It was humble. She was assured by the familiar yellow car in the driveway.

Heart pounding, Blake hurried up to the front door and steeled herself to knock, but when her knuckles hit wood they trembled, so she settled for the doorbell.

To her surprise a dog started barking almost instantly from inside and she took a step back. She heard some shuffling about, and then an unmistakable voice.

"Zwei, quit it! Lemme through!"

Ruby opened the door a second later, dressed in casual clothes. A black and white corgi was jumping at her ankles, trying to get to Blake. "Zwei, stop it! Get back inside! Yang, I'm going!" And with that she shooed the dog inside and closed the door before turning back to Blake. "S-Sorry. It's a little crazy here sometimes."

Blake made a fist, the nails digging into her palm helping her realize this was reality.

"It's fine. I think it's nice to have a lively home." She smiled and lowered her voice gently. She tilted her head in somewhat of an invitation. Ruby followed her, and the two began walking around the block.

Blake didn't want to lose her confidence so early on, so she kept talking.

"So... h-how are you feeling?"

Ruby let out a huge sigh and her smile disappeared.

"I'm okay I guess. It's just... I've never gotten such nasty comments and bad reactions before. And there were so many! They were so mean..."

Blake snorted but made sure to keep her voice gentle for Ruby.

"Don't listen to those people. They can't differentiate fiction from reality, clearly. They're just idiots. A few rotten apples spoiling the bunch, right? The rest of us thought it was a wonderful episode and you did a great job. The mean ones are a bunch of morons." She didn't realize how much venom was in her own voice until she realized Ruby was staring at her. Blake paused and looked at her. "W-What is it?"

Ruby's jaw dropped a little.

"I've never heard you talk like that before, Blake."

Blake quickly slapped a hand to her mouth.

"S-Sorry! That wasn't very nice of me-"

"No, no! I liked it! You got so into it, standing up for what's just and right against those meanies! It made me really happy!" The smile found its way back onto her lips. "Those mean people can't bug me if I know I've got you to defend me, Blake!"

Blake had stopped walking, but she still almost tripped somehow. Ruby's mood had lifted in only a minute of talking to her.

 _Maybe... what Weiss said-_

"Blake?"

"Huh?"

"I said thanks!" Ruby piped. "I feel a lot better already! I guess it's better to get out of the house and stop looking at those mean peoples' comments. You're right, most of the fandom is really nice and supportive! Including you!"

"W-Well, I-"

"Oh! By the way, do you know my social media accounts and stuff? You can look me up!"

"A-Actually..." Blake looked down at the sidewalk as they began walking again. "I'd been meaning to tell you but... I've been following you online since day 1. Right after I learned the name of Briar's actress, I looked you up and followed you, and I've been liking all your posts and stuff. B-But I was scared to tell you. I didn't want you to think it was weird since, well... now you know me in real life..."

"Wait, _really?_ " Ruby squeaked. "You've been supporting me online all this time too? What's your username? Can I know?"

Blake bit her lip again and brought out her phone. She pulled up her own social media and showed Ruby her username. Ruby gasped.

"Oh my gosh, no way! _That_ was you, Blake? I always noticed this person liking all my stuff and tagging me in really nice posts! They were one of the first people to ever do that, and the only one who's stuck with it so much until now! That's _you?_ "

"Y-Yeah..." A little overwhelmed, Blake still couldn't bring herself to look Ruby in the eye. The brunette's energy level skyrocketed.

"That's so neat! That was you all along, Blake! And then I even met you in the supermarket that one time after we first moved here! I wasn't sure at first but then I met you in the café and I knew it was you! It was always you, Blake! You were always there helping me out even when I didn't know it!"

Blake's heart started going into overdrive.

"I-I mean... I just really liked you a-and I wanted to be a good fan and show my support in any way possible. Especially when you were just starting out. I'm glad you don't think it's weird..."

"Weird? No way! That's what being a fan is all about! And it's the nice ones like you who motivate me and make me wanna keep acting and filming more!"

Her beaming smile was almost blinding to Blake, but she decided that her sight was a fair sacrifice. Ruby stepped a little closer as they rounded the block and kept walking.

"You're right, Blake. There's always gonna be mean people or people who take stuff too seriously and wanna make me feel bad. But... there's also always gonna be nice people, too. People like you."

As the words registered in Blake's mind, she found herself smiling as well.

"That's right. And... And even if for some reason every other fan drops off the face of the earth, you'll still have me, Ruby. You'll always have at least me."

"At least?" she chuckled. "Blake, having you is the most I could ever ask for!" Ruby opened her arms and threw herself at Blake, squeezing her in a tight hug.

Blake froze in place as her mind started swarming with thoughts and feelings she couldn't make sense of. But somewhere in her heart, she reminded herself to respond.

And so she slowly lifted her arms and encircled Ruby's back, trying to find a balance between making the contact too light or too hard.

She honestly couldn't remember the last time she'd hugged or had a hug from anyone other than Weiss or her own parents. And for it to be Ruby Rose of all people...

She was trying to savor the contact for as long as possible, but it felt like only seconds had passed before Ruby stepped back. Blake might've regretted the loss of contact if not for the return of that smile.

Ruby still held onto her hand for a moment though, giving her fingers a squeeze.

"Thanks, Blake. I really mean it. Not just for talking to me and coming to see me today, but for supporting me behind the scenes all this time! I really appreciate it!"

"D-Don't mention it."

"Well, Yang and Dad have been worrying about me all day. I guess I should go back and tell them I'm all better thanks to you!"

When Blake looked up she realized they'd already made their way back to the house.

"Oh. Okay. I'm... glad you feel better."

"Yeah! Thank you, Blake! I'll see you tomorrow at the CVFY Shoppe!"

Blake perked up and finally cracked another smile.

"Okay. See you tomorrow."

"Bye!"

Ruby turned to head back to her house, but she paused. To Blake's surprise the brunette spun around and pulled her into one last hug before scurrying off.

Blake stood there in utter disbelief for a few minutes, still trying to comprehend what had happened.

When she finally managed to make her legs move, she took off running back toward her neighborhood.

She had a lot to tell Weiss.

* * *

 **A/N: Finally they get a bit of alone time, and how worthwhile it was! Their friendship may be turning into something more...**

 **Please review!**


	9. A Walk In The Park

**The term "a walk in the park" typically refers to something that should be simple. But with how Blake is with her crush on Ruby, will it really be that easy to convey how she feels?  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 9. A Walk In The Park

After Blake had gushed her heart out to Weiss, she could hardly keep herself from overheating at having revealed everything.

They were in Weiss' room, with Weiss at her desk chair and Blake on the couch covering her face. Weiss was silent for a moment before she started her congratulating.

"That's quite something, Blake. It sounds to me like you two are on the perfect path to becoming more-than-friends. Unless you already are."

"N-No way. There's no way... right?" Blake peeked out from between her fingers to see that Weiss was giving her a hopeless smile.

"Blake, that's a good thing, remember?"

"Oh... yeah."

Weiss got up and crossed the room to sit beside her friend for support.

"You know, now sounds like the perfect time for you to follow-up."

Blake lifted her face from her hands and blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... now seems like a good time to ask her out. Take her somewhere more than just a walk around the block. Like we did when we gave them the tour, only this time it'll just be the two of you."

"Wh-" Blake swallowed audibly. "You mean like... ask her out... on a _date?_ "

"Yes, Blake. Have I not spelled it out for you already?"

"I don't know. I mean, I don't know if I _can_ , or if she'd _want_ to..."

"That's why you have to _ask,_ " Weiss sighed. "Blake, the worst she can do is say no."

"I mean... maybe..." She fell silent for a moment, feeling her heart doing backflips in her chest. When it became unbearable she shook herself off and tried to change the subject. Or at least redirect it. "What's gotten into you, suddenly? Telling me to ask Ruby out. What about you and Yang? Did you ask _her_ out?"

At that, Weiss merely smiled and put a hand to her mouth. She looked down into her lap and started shuffling her feet.

"Well, actually... she asked me..."

Silence again.

It took Blake a second to comprehend the words, and then-

" _What?_ She asked you out? You didn't tell me!"

"I just did!"

They swatted playfully at one another for a moment before calming down, each giggling softly. Blake inched closer, eagerly tapping Weiss' knee.

"So? Tell me what happened? What did she say? How did you reply?"

"One at a time," Weiss huffed. "She merely texted me asking if I would care to see a movie with her this Saturday. I told her I'd ask you what you thought, but she said she only wanted it to be the two of us. So... that _is_ a date, isn't it?"

"Weiss! Of course it is!" Blake bumped their shoulders together before pulling her best friend into a hug. "That's so great. Though I am kind of worried for you. Just try not to trip every five seconds or babble about random things. I don't wanna get a text saying you need to be taken to the hospital for overheating-"

"All right, enough! You're brutal, you know that?"

"Sorry." Chuckling, Blake let Weiss go, and though her friend was clearly blushing there was a smile on her lips. "I'm happy for you, Weiss."

"Thank you. But enough redirecting the subject at me. _You_ should ask Ruby if she would like to go on a date as well. Asking her face-to-face might be a bit much, so I'd say it's fine if you simply text her."

"...You think so?"

"If I didn't I wouldn't be saying it, Blake."

They talked for a little while longer, with Weiss giving advice to Blake about what she might say to Ruby in her messages.

They also discussed when Blake should ask Ruby. Weiss suggested after work on Thursday or Friday evening so she wouldn't have to be embarrassed about seeing Ruby in-person right after asking her out via text.

Blake settled for Friday night, willing to risk the short notice; she assumed that since Yang was going to be busy Saturday morning, Ruby might have nothing to do and therefore would be free to see Blake.

Naturally, with the prospect of potentially asking Ruby out soon in the back of her mind, the next few mornings at the café were a bit stressful for Blake. Whenever Ruby and Yang walked in she'd freeze as though it were the first time. And Weiss was also highly bashful in knowing she'd be going out with Yang in just a few more days.

But somehow they managed to make it through, stumbling through the usual casual conversations and preparing the sisters' drinks for them.

After their shift on Friday, Weiss and Blake walked back to their neighborhood and sat on the sidewalk bench. Blake pulled out her phone and took a deep breath.

"Easy now," Weiss advised. "Remember what we discussed. Just keep it simple."

"Got it."

Blake found her last text to Ruby and carefully swiped out a new message:

 _ **Hi Ruby. It was so nice seeing you again today. I was just wondering if you were free tomorrow morning?**_

She looked it over a dozen times, then asked Weiss to look it over before sending it. When it took Ruby longer than two seconds to reply, Blake began to panic.

"Weiss, this was stupid-"

"Nonsense! Blake, she's going to respond. Give her a moment."

And sure enough Blake's phone buzzed not long afterward. She bit her lip as she opened the message to view Ruby's response:

 _ **Hi Blake! And yeah actually I am free tomorrow! Wanna hang out?**_

The fact that Ruby had ended up asking to meet up threw Blake off a bit, as she'd been intending to do that. Ruby had done the difficult part for her.

"So now," Weiss coaxed. "All you have to do is say yes."

Blake nodded and carefully tapped each key in turn.

 _ **Sure. I'd love to.**_

Her phone nearly autocorrected the phrase to "I love you" and Blake yelped softly as she instantly deleted the suggestion. She made sure it read correctly before finally hitting SEND. Her heart was fluttering so hard she had to put a hand to her chest and exhale. Weiss patted her back.

"Good job, Blake. I'm proud of you."

Ruby texted back almost immediately afterward.

 _ **Yaaay! Okay so what do you think you wanna do?**_

That was Blake's next dilemma. She had no idea what they could do around Vale since it was fairly small. Going to the aquarium or zoo might be fun, but that seemed more like a date idea for people who were already dating.

Weiss suggested a simple day at the park.

"It's perfect," she explained. "Not suggestive or indicative of a relationship, plus there's plenty you can do. Have a picnic, walk around, sit by the lake, and so on."

Blake raised an eyebrow, mildly impressed.

"Wow. When did you become an expert on romance?"

"I've picked up a thing or two. Don't underestimate me, Blake."

"Sorry. Thanks though. I think the park sounds like a great idea."

She made the suggestion to Ruby via text and got an affirmative answer in response.

After that it was a matter of casually ending the conversation with well wishes and promises to see each other tomorrow morning at a designated time.

Blake had offered to go to Ruby's house to walk her to the park, so as soon as she got home that evening she took an extra-long shower and then laid out her clothes for tomorrow in advance. She was so jittery she found it difficult to eat dinner, and when her parents asked what had her so high-strung she simply told them she was going out to see a new friend tomorrow.

She spent the night curled up in bed on her phone, checking Ruby's social media and re-reading their conversation about tomorrow. She was far too excited to sleep right away, and even when she did close her eyes it didn't stay that way for long. She made sure to send a text to wish Weiss good luck tomorrow with Yang in case she forgot to do so in the morning, and Weiss sent the luck right back to her.

At last Blake managed to close her eyes and start to relax, imagining potential scenarios that might take place tomorrow on hers and Ruby's first date.

It would just be a matter of making those things a reality tomorrow.

* * *

She was up at the break of dawn the next morning and couldn't go back to sleep no matter how much she might've wanted to.

But really, she didn't want to that badly. She was far too excited.

Blake kicked the blankets off herself, grabbed her clothes and hurried to the bathroom to freshen up and change. She was so excited she almost dropped everything she touched and almost skipped out on breakfast until a knowing, chiding text from Weiss persuaded her to nourish herself.

Blake ate, but by the time she was ready to go, it was still an hour before her intended meet time with Ruby.

So she went online again, got herself excited for tonight's new episode of Ninjas, and finished up by checking Ruby's social media once again. To Blake's surprise, she had a notification on her own account, which was fairly rare since she didn't post much. She clicked it and a message bubble opened up:

 **Ruby Rose has followed you!**

And attached to that was a message from Ruby herself:

 _Hey Blake! Now that I know it's you I wanted to follow you! Cuz that's what friends do!_

Blake felt her heart do another backflip as she basked in that moment. She pulled out her phone and slowly typed out a text to Ruby.

 ** _Good morning. Just let me know when you're ready so I can come get you._**

She closed her laptop, wanting to focus on their date today more than anything. A moment later she received a text back.

 ** _Morning Blake! I'm actually ready now! I was so excited I got up and got ready early! So you can come over whenever you're ready!_ **

After admitting that Blake herself had also gotten up early, she affirmed that she'd be over to pick Ruby up soon. Blake sent one more text of good luck to Weiss, wished her parents a nice Saturday, picked up her bag with pre-made picnic foods, took one last deep breath, and stepped out the door.

She didn't want to run to Ruby's, lest she make herself sweaty, but she was just so eager to begin their day together. She settled for a quickly-paced walk, scurrying across the street whenever she needed to cross. The weather was perfect and she couldn't have asked for a nicer day for this.

Blake reached Ruby's house and found that Yang's car wasn't in the driveway. She'd likely already gone to pick up Weiss for their movie.

In the back of her mind Blake wondered if she should've taken her old car and driven Ruby somewhere instead of having them walk around all day. But some part of herself told Blake that this was more Ruby's style anyway.

She sent Ruby a text first to let her know she was here before waiting outside the door like a stray puppy, too nervous to knock lest Ruby's father answer. She waited until the door opened inward and a bright beautiful smile blessed her like the rays of the sun.

"Morning, Blake!" With a jovial laugh, Ruby threw her arms around Blake in a hug that staggered her back a step. But as soon as Blake registered this was reality she returned the contact.

"G-Good morning-"

And that was when she noticed the red leash dangling from Ruby's arm.

A second later her ears were assaulted by a high-pitched yapping sound. The pudgy little dog she'd met a few days earlier came running out the door behind Ruby, circling hers and Blake's ankles and tangling them up in the leash. He jumped and barked and wiggled between Blake's boots, rolling around at her feet.

She was taken by surprise and nearly fell for various reasons, but thankfully Ruby was able to hold tight to her and grab the porch railing with her free hand.

"Z-Zwei! Chill out!"

Amazingly, the hyperactive dog stopped fidgeting long enough for Ruby to be able to untangle Blake and herself.

But Blake's heart was still jumping from the surprise of it all as Ruby got herself and the dog situated. Blake would've liked to stay in their embrace for a moment longer, and she glared down at the dog for that.

Once Ruby had finished up and gotten everything in order, she let out a helpless sigh.

"Sorry about him. When my dad heard I was going to the park today he told me to take Zwei with me. He's been so energetic lately. I hope you don't mind. You're not allergic or anything, are you? I'm sorry, I should've asked first!"

"N-No, it's all right. I'm not allergic. I'm just... not so great with dogs..."

"Oohh I'm sorry! I'll tell my dad he can't come with us!"

"N-No," Blake stopped Ruby with a hand on her shoulder. "It's all right. If he's your dog, then I want to get used to him. I'll need his approval..."

Ruby was silent for a moment as she looked up at Blake. Then the wide smile reappeared.

"Okay! If you're sure, then."

"I am."

She'd never particularly liked dogs, and they usually didn't like her either. But if she wanted to get closer to Ruby, she wanted to be comfortable with everything. Even her dog.

Once they were certain no one's ankles were tangled in Zwei's leash they set off for the park. Ruby walked closely beside Blake and kept Zwei on her other side. He trotted along and got distracted by everything else other than Blake now, which she was thankful for.

Blake kept a tight grip on the strap of her bag, trying to subtly let her free hand find Ruby's-

"So!" Ruby piped. "What kinda things do you wanna do today?"

"U-Uh, I mean I packed a lunch for us, but until then... we can just walk around, um..."

Now that she was saying it out loud, it sounded like a rather lackluster first date.

But Ruby didn't seem to mind.

"That sounds so nice!"

Her optimism rubbed off on Blake and gave her a bit of confidence about the rest of the day.

They sauntered side by side toward the park, conversation light and casual. When they needed to cross a street, Blake took hold of Ruby's hand without even realizing it, led her across, and simply didn't let go after that. Ruby didn't either.

They reached the park which was lush and green and flowery with summer scents and sights. Hand-in-hand they started off walking along the little dirt paths, passing by picnic tables and other couples and families enjoying their day.

Ruby was mumbling to herself about all the pretty flowers, and since she wasn't speaking directly to Blake it allowed her to start fretting.

 _All right so what do I do from here? What do I talk about? What do I-_

"So Blake!"

"Y-Yes?"

"Are you excited for tonight's episode?"

Blake let out a small breath and smiled.

"Of course. We're getting to a big turning point in Briar's career. There's going to be a lot of character growth. Especially when she meets Thorn."

"Oh yeah! Gosh, that's such a great encounter! And then they start to work together trying to escape the Organization but like, still trying to act loyal and pretend to assassinate people they're supposed to and stuff."

Once again, talking about Ninjas was easiest for them both and took the pressure off. As they continued to walk, Zwei would pause and greet other dogs here and there but ultimately Blake forgot he was even with them. She kept pace with Ruby and kept ahold of her hand, just praying her own wasn't sweaty.

Blake didn't even realize it when their conversation started to stray from Ninjas and lean toward other things.

The transition happened so naturally, so smoothly, so comfortably. Ruby got to talking about how much she loved the outdoors, which made Blake so relieved they'd come to the park. She needed to thank Weiss later for the idea.

"I've always loved hiking and stuff!" Ruby was saying. "My whole family does! We'd go on big camping trips and stuff together when I was a kid. And even now we still do sometimes when Yang and me don't have to work. I just love being outside! What about you, Blake?"

"Me? I uh... well, I usually like quiet places inside. Like the library. But it can be nice outside, too. It's nice just to listen to nature sometimes."

"Yeah! Definitely!"

With this in mind, Blake steeled herself and offered to take Ruby hiking in the nearby forest trails. Ruby couldn't agree quickly enough.

It was a fairly level hike, not too much climbing. Zwei was having a blast, that was for sure.

But Ruby seemed the most excited of all. There was a beautiful sparkle in her eyes at getting to see and experience a new place. She was bursting with energy and excitement, and Blake did her best to keep up.

They saw a lot of squirrels and birds, but even the commonplace animals got Ruby so thrilled to watch.

Blake found a new appreciation for the everyday through her.

Only when she was getting parched and a little breathless did she request a short break. Ruby turned back to her with a gasp.

"Oh yeah yeah of course! I'm sorry I've been pulling you along like this. You gotta take a breather!"

Ruby led her over to a log bench made for the hikers on the trail and sat down next to Blake.

"Sorry," Blake said. "I'm not used to this kind of stuff yet."

"No, no, don't be sorry! I should've noticed."

"It's fine." Blake went through her bag and pulled out a bottle of water. "Do you need some? I have another bottle."

"Really? Then yes please!"

Blake handed Ruby a bottle and then let go of her hand for the first time all morning so she could drink. Ruby drank as much as she needed, then found a hollow spot in a tree stump to pour the rest of the water out for Zwei to lap at. She promised to slow things down a bit from here on out so as not to exhaust Blake further.

So once they were ready, Ruby took Blake's hand this time and they set off on the path again, admiring the view of the trees, alive with summer green and fresh sunlight.

They wandered the trails idly for a while, chatting and giggling at every little thing until at last the park was in sight again. The trees thinned as they stepped out of the forest and continued on another path down toward the lake.

The water was sparkling blue and swaying with reeds around the edges. People and dogs were running about having fun, adding to the joyful atmosphere.

Blake guided Ruby to a soft grassy hill where they could see the water clearly and invited her to sit. Blake began rummaging through her bag and pulled out the small containers of food. She'd made a few sandwiches the night before and packed little baggies of pretzels and cookies. Ruby squealed at the sight of the food.

"Blake, this looks soooo yummy!"

"I just hope it tastes as good."

Ruby took a bite of her sandwich and hummed.

"It does! Trust me!"

She gobbled up her sandwich with gusto, only saving a few pieces of meat to toss for Zwei. She then got started on the cookies and other treats.

Blake ate slowly, admiring Ruby more than the view of the park.

And for a moment she allowed herself to reflect.

It was so strange how they'd met one another, online, then in the café and at the grocery store. They'd once been total strangers, or at least very precariously walking the line of 'acquaintances'.

And now...

Now they were here.

When Ruby ran out of water, Blake immediately offered her own bottle. Neither minded the indirect kisses.

When they'd finished eating and Blake had packed the empty containers back up, Zwei waddled over to her and dropped a drool-covered sick at her side. She grimaced, but Ruby leaned over her and picked it up.

"Here, like this!"

She hurled it with all her might, let go of his leash, and Zwei took off running. Blake was impressed by his speed and vigor and could understand why Ruby's father had wanted her to take the dog here today.

She and Ruby played with Zwei for a while, tossing sticks back and forth. Blake found it wasn't so bad as long as she had a napkin to wipe her hand off on.

Once he was too exhausted to move, Zwei curled up next to Blake, a sign he approved of her company, as Ruby explained.

For an hour or so they simply laid in the grass together and relaxed, chatting quietly or not at all. Blake laid on her back and enjoyed the sounds of the world and Ruby's presence at her side.

It was early afternoon when they decided it was time to head back.

Ruby picked up Zwei and carried him in her arms while Blake walked beside her. They both wanted to get back home and clean themselves up a bit before tonight when they'd all go to Weiss' house together to watch the new episode of Ninjas, as they'd planned weeks ago.

So when Blake had to drop Ruby off at her house, she didn't feel sad that the day was over, because she'd be seeing her again in just a few hours.

Ruby pushed open the door and let Zwei waddle in before she turned back to Blake with a smile.

"Blake, I had soooo much fun today! And we're gonna have even more fun later this evening! I can't wait!"

"I had fun too. The most fun I can remember having in a long time," Blake admitted.

"I'm glad I wasn't the only one then! And Zwei had fun too!"

"That's good." Blake smiled, but found it a bit difficult to leave. She clutched the strap of her bag again and curled her toes within her boots. "So Yang should be back soon right? And you'll both be at Weiss' later?"

"Yup! I can't wait!"

"Me either." Another beat of silence, and Blake awkwardly turned away. "All right, I'll see you soon, then."

"Yeah! Bye, Blake!"

And Blake was just about to turn around and head down the porch steps when she felt a small tug on her wrist.

The next thing she knew, Ruby's soft lips were on her cheek, and Blake's whole world was frozen in place.

It only lasted for a second, and then Ruby let go as if it'd had never happened.

When Blake turned back to look for her, she'd disappeared behind the door.

Blake gripped the railing for support as her stomach churned in the most pleasant way possible.

She turned and ran down the steps and all the way back to her house, up to her room, threw herself onto her bed, and laughed like she'd never laughed before.

* * *

 **A/N: Praise the poor nervous awkward baby, she did it! Well, Ruby did it, but Blake did her best and it paid off haha. One chapter to go!**

 **Please review!**


	10. Making Progress

**We're almost finished here! Thank you all for the support!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 10. Making Progress

Blake was so jittery she couldn't stay still on her bed for very long. Her cheek still felt warm in the place where Ruby had kissed it, and her heart was in a gleeful overdrive.

She sat up before long and went online, making several posts about the fantastic day she'd had so far. She'd completely forgotten about the fact that Ruby had followed her back until she got a comment notification from her:

 _ **I'm glad you had fun too, Blake! So did I!**_

Blake flushed crimson but smiled nonetheless, relieved to know Ruby had enjoyed herself as well.

She still had a few hours before she'd have to go to Weiss' so Blake killed time by taking another shower. She didn't want to watch the new Ninjas and sleep over at Weiss' after going trekking through the woods all morning.

The shower helped cool her down, though as soon as she was dressed she was all but stumbling out the door and back into her room to pack a small bag for the evening. When her mother came by and inquired about her day with her friend, Blake stuttered that it had gone really well, but revealed no further information.

Her phone went off not long after that with a text from Weiss. Blake realized she'd been so caught up about her own date that she'd failed to ask Weiss about hers, and Weiss beat her to it.

 ** _So how did things go with Ruby? You haven't fallen into a coma, have you?_ **

Blake rolled her eyes and swiped a message back.

 ** _Of course not. And things actually went... really well. We both had a great time. How did things go with you and Yang?_ **

A moment later Weiss replied with, **_Also... really well._**

Blake smiled. It seemed they were both on the right track with their crushes, and perhaps the feelings were even mutual. Just thinking about it made her chest get tight and fuzzy.

She decided to head over to Weiss' early before the sisters would arrive so she could talk to Weiss about their dates. After wishing her parents goodbye, Blake set out, once again trying not to jog lest she get sweaty again. She reached Weiss' place and knocked, and was answered by Winter.

"Good evening to you, Blake. Perhaps you'll be able to calm down my sister. She's been a mess ever since she got home."

"I'll do my best."

Blake left her boots by the door and hurried up to Weiss' room to find her friend cleaning the already-immaculate area. She was adjusting the decorative blankets and pillows on the couch, obsessing over even the slightest off-angle. Blake put down her bag and called to her.

"Weiss, the place looks perfect. You can relax, I promise."

Weiss jolted a bit as she looked up, but was relieved to see only Blake there.

"Are you sure? I don't want them coming over and thinking the place is unkempt."

"Weiss, you're being ridiculous. Stop cleaning and tell me about your date."

Blake took her own seat on the couch and invited her friend beside her. Weiss was fidgeting but Blake could also tell she was absolutely glowing. She wondered if she herself was giving off the same vibes.

"Well," Weiss began. "She came to pick me up and we drove to the theater. It was a lot of small-talk to begin with but I learned a great deal about her. When the movie started and the lights went out, I accidentally touched her hand when I was reaching for my drink. And I didn't want her to think I'd intended it, so I apologized. I couldn't focus on the movie at all. I kept looking over at her. She looked so beautiful, Blake..." Weiss bowed her head in her hands and hunched forward in exasperation. Blake reached out to pat her back softly.

"Don't leave me hanging, Weiss. Keep going."

Weiss continued, but kept her face hidden.

"A while later... she put her arm around my shoulders. I could lean back and rest my head on her. It was very nice. The next time I reached out, I touched her hand on purpose and held onto it."

Blake nodded.

"That's great, Weiss. It sounds like it went well-"

"I'm not finished!" Weiss yelped. "When the movie was over we left the theater when it was still dark and I tripped over my own two feet. Yang caught me and helped me up, asked if I was all right, and then she... k-kissed me..."

Blake felt a trill of excitement for her friend.

"She kissed you?"

"Just on the forehead. But I could barely walk the rest of the way to the car... I had to cling to her arm like a child..."

"And you were afraid _I'd_ gone into a coma," Blake chuckled, rubbing Weiss' back. "Well it sounds like it went really well, Weiss. I'm glad. My date with Ruby went... kind of the same way. She took her dog with her, and his leash sort of tangled us together at first. We almost fell off the porch steps together."

Weiss finally sat up again.

"Goodness!"

"But we didn't! When we went to the park we held hands, talked a lot, went for a hike... Then we had our picnic by the lake. And when I dropped her back off at home... Ruby kissed me too."

"She kissed you?"

"Just on the cheek," Blake said. "But I ran all the way home and had to take another shower to cool off. I was so happy. I hope she was, too..."

"Of course she was, Blake! Or else she wouldn't have kissed you, for heaven's sake!"

"I... guess you're right. But... how should I act around her tonight when she comes here? I don't think I should kiss her back... at least not in front of Yang. B-But I don't want to act like it never happened either."

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Weiss sighed. "So if neither of us knows the answer, I suppose we should just act normally and let the evening take us where it will."

"Yeah. I guess so."

Both girls leaned back against the couch and sighed. At least they were in the same boat now with their respective crushes.

They talked for a while longer, making deals with one another to stop them if they did something embarrassing or foolish in front of the sisters. Once their pact had been established, Weiss turned on the TV so the sisters wouldn't be walking into a silent room.

Blake went to her bag and pulled out a small box of cookies she'd gotten in advance. They were the same kinds Ruby had bought the first night she'd bumped into Blake at the grocery store. Weiss brought in a few bottles of water and soda as well as a few bowls and some bags of chips and other snacks, all of which she placed onto a small coffee table with Blake's cookies.

The atmosphere was warm and welcoming now, and they felt ready to receive their guests. Waiting for the doorbell to ring was enough to induce a bit of anxiety, but as soon as it did both of them went hurrying down the stairs to answer the door.

They reminded one another to act normally one last time, then Weiss opened the door.

Ruby and Yang stood together with matching grins on their faces in the summer evening light.

"Hi, Blake! Hi, Weiss!"

"Heya, guys!"

"Hi, you two."

"Welcome."

Brief greetings were exchanged as the sisters removed their shoes and put them next to Blake's. She had to wonder if the two of them had spent the past hour telling each other about their own dates, just like Weiss and herself had. Either way, everyone seemed to be glowing with excitement.

Weiss ushered her guests upstairs, hoping to avoid being taunted by her brother or sister or even her father if they noticed how fretful Weiss was being. Luckily they all made it upstairs without a hitch.

Ruby was busy admiring every bit of Weiss' house, ooh-ing and ahh-ing and just about everything. But she got the most excited when she spotted Blake's cookies on the snack table.

"Ohmygosh! Is all this for us? Those are my favorite cookies!"

Blake smiled.

"I'm glad. I was hoping you like them."

"Did you buy them just for tonight? Waaah thank you, Blake!"

Her purchase of the cookies earned Blake a tight exuberant hug from Ruby, one she coyly returned. Luckily for her, Yang was turned away talking with Weiss, so Blake didn't feel too nervous about hugging Ruby in return. She savored the contact for as long as she could before Ruby pulled back.

"C'mon! Let's eat some snacks before the new episode starts!"

She took Blake by the hand and pulled her over to the table to begin picking an assortment of snacks. Yang was picking up a bottle of soda as she showed her appreciation for all of this to Weiss.

"Everything's so neat and organized. It's really nice. Thanks for havin' us, Weiss."

"Oh, don't mention it. It was nothing."

Blake held back a joking comment about how Weiss had spent so long making the place perfect and instead focused on taking a bite of the cookie Ruby was holding up to her lips asking her to try. Blake swallowed before giving her verdict.

"I can understand why they're your favorites."

"Right?! They're so yummy~!"

Everyone grabbed whatever snacks and drinks they wanted before bringing everything over to the couch. Ruby sat on one end and Blake sat next to her. Weiss sat on her other side and Yang sat at the other end.

"So," the blonde was saying. "It's really okay if Ruby and I sleep over?"

"Of course," Weiss said, almost too quickly. "The couch pulls out into a bed. You two can take that if you'd like. Blake and I can share my bed."

"Sounds good."

Blake was both a little relieved and a little disappointed. Of course she liked the idea of potentially getting to fall asleep next to Ruby. But with how things were right now – just teetering on the borderline between friends and something more – she decided this was for the best. She knew Weiss felt the same about Yang.

The four of them chatted and ate for a while, though both Blake and Weiss had underestimated just how _close_ they'd be to Ruby and Yang with all of them sitting together on the same couch. Ruby naturally cuddled up into Blake's side like it was nothing, while Blake froze and wondered if Ruby could hear how hard her heart was pounding. Next to her Weiss was sitting with her posture stiff and straight when Yang draped a lazy arm over the back of the couch behind her.

At last the new episode of Ninjas began, and everyone focused primarily on the TV.

But that was also when everyone began to relax without noticing it, leaning back or sideway against whoever was next to them. The food and drinks were put aside so they could get comfortable.

Of course Ruby and Blake mumbled all about the show and what they knew was going to happen, while Weiss and Yang tried to follow along with what the show gave them. During the first commercial break, reality settled back in as they all remembered they were sitting right next to their crushes.

"Wow," Ruby chuckled. "I'm still not used to seeing myself on TV. How was I?"

"Perfect," Blake assured her. "You've always been perfect. A-As Briar, I mean... well-"

"I agree," Weiss spoke up, saving Blake from her verbal blunder. "I'm not as familiar with the series as Blake is, but I enjoy the character you portray immensely. You're wonderful, Ruby."

"Agreed!" Yang said.

"Aww, thanks you guys! This is a little embarrassing though. One day you guys gotta come see one of Yang's modeling shoots too!"

"Hey, show's comin' back!" Yang warned.

So they all fell silent again and got engaged in the show again. The show that had brought them all together, as friends at first, and now...

Weiss finally allowed herself to ease back against Yang's partial embrace. Yang smiled and stroked her fingers through the girl's soft silver hair, coaxing Weiss to lean against her. Weiss found it was much more pleasant this way, without the arm of a movie theater chair to block her off.

Blake only caught a brief glance of this, but she was happy for Weiss, which allowed her to focus on herself now. Ruby had pulled her legs up onto the couch and bundled up cozily. Blake swallowed before slowly, casually slipping an arm around her.

Ruby didn't seem to mind at all, but it was Yang she was more worried about. But the blonde was more focused on Weiss and on the show, and didn't seem all that opposed to Blake in the first place.

So Blake allowed herself a moment to breathe before drawing Ruby in to her side and relaxing.

The four of them watched in silence for the rest of the episode. Once it was over, Blake let out a sight of contentment.

"That was really great. I loved how-"

But as she glanced down at Ruby, she realized the girl wouldn't be hearing her compliments. Ruby was fast asleep against Blake's chest, using the front of her shoulder as a pillow. Blake was worried her frantic pulse might wake her.

A quiet voice spoke from behind her.

"Is she asleep?"

Blake glanced back over her shoulder and met Yang's curious eyes. Blake nodded.

"Y-Yeah."

"I knew she wouldn't last long," Yang murmured. "She was so excited all day about your guys' date to the park. I think she used up all her energy. Guess it was the same for this one, huh?" She indicated Weiss, who was also curled up and breathing softly against her, clearly fast asleep as well.

Blake smiled a bit.

"Yeah. She was so happy to be with you today. We talked and texted for a long time."

"So did Ruby and I," Yang confessed. "She really likes you, y'know."

Blake almost choked at the revelation.

"She... does...?"

"Seriously. She hasn't stopped talking about you since day one, Blake. And sorry if it seems like I'm butting in but... Weiss told me you like Ruby too, right?"

"I... I..."

"It's cool. I'm not gonna bite your head off," she chuckled. "You two are perfect together."

Blake couldn't believe this was actually happening. She'd never talked to Yang alone like this before. But now she knew. She knew for _sure_ that her feelings for Ruby were reciprocated.

A new kind of warmth spread throughout her chest as a smile spread across her face. She turned back to look down at Ruby sleeping peacefully.

 _She... likes me too... she likes me..._

"H-Hey, um..." Yang's awkward grunt had Blake turning to look back to her. Yang was biting her lip, eyes flicking around nervously like Blake had never seen her act before. The blonde looked quickly down at Weiss. "S-So um... does she...? I mean does Weiss, um..."

Blake actually chuckled out loud this time.

"Yes, Yang. She likes you, too. A lot."

"R-Really? Oh thank god..."

Blake mused to herself that Yang could be just as adorable as Ruby, in her own way.

The room was dark now except for the TV, which Blake turned off now. When she looked to Ruby, she knew she'd never have the heart to wake her by moving. And when she looked back to Yang who had closed her eyes and nuzzled herself against Weiss' cheek, Blake knew no one was going to want to move to pull out the bed.

So she leaned herself back a little, resting partially against the couch cushions and partially against Weiss' back. Blake pulled Ruby close to herself and closed her eyes, savoring the quietness of the room, this feeling of calm and serenity.

And she dared to leave a small kiss on the girl's temple.

The hectic day eventually caught up to her as well, and Blake felt herself slipping away in slumber after the best day of her life.

* * *

She woke the next morning when she felt Weiss shifting against her back. When Blake opened her eyes, she found Ruby still fast asleep against her. She looked over to Weiss who was fretfully trying to slip away from Yang, who was also still asleep.

Blake compensated for the shift in weight and kept Ruby still as not to wake her, cleared her throat, and called out for her friend.

"Weiss? What's the matter?"

Weiss gasped and nearly fell off the couch at the sound of her voice.

"Goodness, Blake! Don't startle me like that!"

"Sorry."

"Did we wake them?" They each checked over Ruby and Yang to find them both still asleep. Weiss sighed. "Must I remind you we have a shift this morning? It's Sunday."

"Oh crap, you're right..."

"Of course I am. We've got to get ready. I fell asleep without brushing my teeth last night and I feel like a vagabond."

"We all forgot to brush, Weiss. You're fine. Plus, didn't you sleep well since you were curled up-"

"Hush!" Weiss' face turned pink as she glared at Blake, who merely chuckled in response.

"Sorry."

"You will be," Weiss grumbled. "Come on, get ready."

Blake sighed, relished the last few seconds with Ruby asleep against her, and then shifted the girl onto the couch.

She and Weiss took turns in the bathroom getting dressed and ready for work. Ruby and Yang woke up somewhere along the lines and helped clean up a little bit. Weiss made some toast with various jams and spreads for a light breakfast, which everyone appreciated.

Once everyone was dressed and ready for the day, Ruby and Yang decided to walk to the café with Blake and Weiss.

"This'll be fun!" Ruby squealed. "Getting to walk together with you guys!"

"Definitely," Yang agreed.

Blake smiled as she remembered the events of the previous night, how she'd seen the confident blonde turn into a nervous wreck when she wasn't sure how Weiss felt about her.

And how she'd affirmed for Blake that Ruby liked her too.

That's what gave Blake the courage to reach for Ruby's hand this morning and walk with her down the sidewalk like that.

She noticed that Weiss did the same thing for Yang, who eagerly squeezed her hand in return.

It only took a second for Ruby to interlock her fingers with Blake's, and together the four of them headed for the CFVY Shoppe.

Once there, Blake and Weiss went to their side of the counter while Ruby and Yang stayed on the other. They didn't even need to order their drinks before Blake and Weiss started to make them.

While at the machines, Weiss mumbled to Blake under her breath.

"Did I fall asleep on her like that last night? Please say no."

"Um... no?"

"Goodness, I did, didn't I?"

"You told me to say no. But don't worry, she didn't mind at all. Trust me."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. And if it makes you feel any better, Ruby fell asleep on me. Everything went as it should have, if you ask me."

She and Weiss finished making the drinks and turned back to the counter to hand them over.

But evidently the sisters had been having their own private conversation as well.

Because both Ruby and Yang accepted their drinks and leaned up and over the counter at the same time to steal kisses from their respective baristas.

On the lips.

As Blake and Weiss nearly fell backward from the surprise, Ruby and Yang chuckled.

"Thanks!"

"Hope this payment works too!"

Of course they left the actual money on the counter.

But as Blake and Weiss covered their mouths in shock, and then broke out into gleeful laughter, they agreed that they preferred this new kind of payment.

* * *

 **A/N: You didn't think I'd end it here without an epilogue, did you?**

 **Please review!**


	11. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Epilogue

At the beginning of the summer, Blake had been under the impression that she'd be spending her vacation as she'd always spent it; going to work and lazing around. She'd never anticipated meeting a model and an actress, the latter of which would become her girlfriend.

And she certainly hadn't expected to be flown out to witness Ruby film one of next season's episodes of Ninjas of Love.

They'd decided on it weeks ago. Ruby's contract with her filming crew and company was that she would fly over to film for one week a month during the school year so she'd still spend the majority of the time focusing on her academics. And Yang would come along with her and use the same week's worth of time for her modeling and photoshoots.

But they'd both decided to invite their girlfriends along for the first week back before school officially began, when it was still technically summer vacation.

Blake and Weiss had excitedly packed their suitcases and made the brief flight with the sisters. They got to stay with them in their trailer for a week now and go to their shoots and filming to watch and support them both.

Blake was absolutely astounded by how quickly Ruby could go from her usual fun-loving self to the rather stoic and serious act of Briar. During break times, Ruby introduced Blake to her on-stage pet snake and showed her around the set as was permitted.

And Weiss was only a few trailers away with Yang, who was busy shooting commercials for beauty projects or posing in a million different outfits to promote new clothing lines. Everything looked absolutely stunning on Yang, but Weiss particularly enjoyed when they would do Yang's hair up in a different style.

When one of the sisters had a break they'd make the walk to go and support the other until all four of them were together again. They went out to have lunch together at the designated time, and then were back to work until evening.

When Ruby and Yang were finally dismissed for the day, the four of them retreated to their very nice trailer to shower and relax. Blake and Weiss made dinner in the kitchen area and called them in when it was ready. Ruby came darting in first, squealing in joy.

"Yaaay! Yummy food!" She took her seat next to Blake and dug into her meal right away. Yang walked in patting her hair with a towel and took her spot next to Weiss.

"It looks amazing. Thanks, hun." She kissed her cheek, something Weiss was more or less used to by now.

Blake had gotten a bit bolder in the weeks since she'd first started dating her girlfriend, so she leaned over and kissed Ruby as well.

"You did an amazing job today."

"Aw thank you, Blake!"

"So when school starts... you're allowed to miss a week a month for filming?"

"Yup! It's in the contract and my agents will work out all the legal stuff with the school! So long as I keep my grades up I'll still be able to graduate normally!"

"It's pretty sweet," Yang commented. "Cuz we don't really see our jobs as work, y'know? It's more like a vacation every month."

"Wish I could say the same," Blake sighed. "But Weiss and I'll keep working evenings at the café. Though we take weekends off during the school year to catch up on work. So we'll still have free time."

"And of course Ruby and I'll be coming by the café every evening when we can to keep you guys company~"

"Yup! And maybe you guys can even come out here with us again sometime!"

"So long as we stay on top of our schoolwork," Weiss said diligently. "I don't see why not."

"That'd be so much fun!" Ruby squealed. "To be able to come back here after a day of filming and you guys'd be here!"

"I'd love that as well," Blake said, leaning in for another kiss to the cheek.

They chatted all throughout dinner before cleaning up the dishes and then changing into their sleep clothes. There was a large couch in the living area which pulled out into an even larger bed, one Ruby and Yang typically fell asleep on together while watching TV.

But now there were two other people to fill in the extra space.

They didn't even bother flicking on the TV tonight though. Once Yang was stretched out in bed she opened her arms invitingly to Weiss. Weiss crawled up slowly and laid herself down at Yang's side, curling into her shoulder comfortably.

Of course that comfort was disrupted a second later when Ruby came racing over and jumped onto the bed full-force, causing the mattress to creak and Weiss to be dislodged from her comfortable spot. She readjusted and muttered something under her breath, but Yang soothed her with a long kiss.

Blake was the last to join them, slowly climbing onto the bed and into Ruby's waiting hug. Ruby pulled herself close instantly and cuddled into Blake's chest, peppering kisses over her collar. Blake hugged her shoulders and kissed her hair and cheeks, trailing her lips along her forehead and temples.

The blankets were pulled up by some sloppy but collective effort and all four girls settled down. There were murmurs of goodnights and sweet dreams and then the room fell silent.

Blake stayed awake a while after the others had drifted off, reflecting on the amazing summer she'd had.

It had started with excitement about her favorite book series being adapted into a televisions series.

Then a crush on the lead actress for her favorite character.

And then she'd found out that crush was living in her neighborhood, going to her grocery store, ordering drinks at her café.

They'd become friends gradually, which had only made Blake fall even harder for her.

And now here they were – girlfriends – cuddled up on the set of the very series that had brought them together.

And they'd be getting to spend a lot more time together in the future during the school year as well.

But for now Blake simply kissed Ruby atop the head one last time and closed her eyes.

And even though she'd be going to sleep now, she knew she'd wake up to this dream all over again tomorrow.

* * *

 **A/N: I know this story had a very rocky start, what with the initial issues and it being dropped by the person who commissioned it, but I thank the person who picked it up again and all of the readers and supporters who have allowed me to finish it! I hope you enjoyed!**

 **Please review!**


End file.
